He stressed that “my love and believe in the Rawlingses is not transferable to a daughter, a wife or a son. I believe in the ideas of Rawlings but my loyalty and commitment is for President Mills and this country”.
His comment comes weeks after the deputy Finance Minister; Fiifi Kwetey also touted as a “Rawlings boy” called for ‘positive defiance’ against former President Rawlings whose wife, Nana Konadu is challenging President Mills in the party’s delegate congress in July 8.
Fiifi Kwetey believed that given President Mills’ performance in fulfilling the Better Ghana Agenda he should be given the chance to lead the party in Election 2012.
Nii Lante Vanderpuije on Asempa FM on Friday, explained that, his support for President Mills is a demonstration of what the former President taught members of National Democratic Congress (NDC) to always be bold; stand for what is right in the interest of the party.
He noted that, other supporters of President Mills are using the former president’s own principles of “commitment and loyalty” as a yardstick to support President Mills against Nana Konadu who picked her nomination form on Tuesday.
Nii Lante Vanderpuije also a presidential aide believed former President Rawlings would support him should he contest any position in the party.
He was very optimistic that party delegates will renew the mandate of President Mills in order for him to lead the party in the 2012 elections.
Nii Lante Vanderpuije however took a swipe at Herbert Mensah, a close associate of the Rawlingses for fueling the rivalry between former President Rawlings and President Mills.
According to him, the former football administrator is behind Mrs. Rawlings bid to challenge President Mills in the party’s flagbearership.
He alleged that, Herbert Mensah keeps confusing the Rawlingses with a supposed research which indicates that Mrs. Rawlings is more popular in the party than President Mills – that she would win the 2012 elections if she leads the party.
Nii Lante Vanderpuije warned that the actions of the former football administrator if care is not taken could negatively affect the party in its bid to retain power in election 2012.
Herbert Mensah, a businessman and former Chairman of Kumasi Asante Kotoko on May 4 accompanied Mrs. Rawlings to the party’s headquarters to pick her nomination forms in her bid to challenge President JEA Mills in the party’s presidential primaries scheduled for 8-10 July in Sunyani.
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