NDC reduced Rawlings from hero to zero before his death – Gabby Otchere-Darko

According to him, the party should not pretend to be celebrating its founder now when they only denigrated him while he was alive.

Mr. Otchere-Darko, who is a stalwart of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), said Rawlings and his wife were reduced from hero to zero before the former’s death.

He said this during the campaign launch of the NPP’s parliamentary candidate for Wa Central, Hajia Humu Awudu.

The late Jerry John Rawlings Pulse Ghana

“Unfortunately, his own political party, the party he founded with his wife, they reduced Jerry John Rawlings and his wife from heroes to zero,” Mr. Otchere-Darko is quoted as saying by Citinewsroom.

“And now that he is dead, they want to resurrect him to resurrect their dying campaign and they are calling him a hero.”

“They should have made peace with him when he was alive, they should have made peace with him and his family when he was alive. Don’t denigrate him when he’s alive and celebrate him when he’s dead for your own selfish earns,” he added.

Rawlings passed away at the age of 73 in the early hours of Thursday, November 12, 2020.

He is said to have died at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, where he was on admission after falling sick.

Tributes have poured in from far and near since Rawlings, who ruled Ghana for almost two decades, passed away.

The NDC subsequently organised a vigil in his honour, while the party is also planning to embark on a march for probity and accountability in honour of the late Rawlings.

Meanwhile, Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has slammed the NDC for what he termed as exhibiting hypocrisy in their proposed march to honour Rawlings.

Speaking in Yendi over the weekend, he said the NDC must first march against the Airbus scandal and all the scandals which engulfed the erstwhile Mahama administration if they truly believe in probity and accountability.

"Today after the death of the former President, may his soul rest in peace, Jerry John Rawlings, they (NDC) are now there saying that they are marching in his honour for probity and accountability. Where were the probity and accountability when they were chopping the SADA money?" Dr. Bawumia wondered.