The United Front Party (UFP) has jumped to the defense of ex-President John Agyekum Kufuor against the vitriolic attack from his colleague ex-President, Jerry John Rawlings.
The UFP has warned the former military leader turned President, Mr. Rawlings, to be wary about the incessant attacks on Mr. Kufuor, if he cherishes to protect the little dignity left in him. According to the UFP, it is appalled by the cold attacks on former President Kufuor by Mr. Rawlings, who, they believe, is still living under the mercy and magnanimity of peace-loving Ghanaians. The National Chairman of the UFP, Nana Agyenim Boateng, is equally surprised at the seemingly apathetic attitude of former President Kufuor’s own party, the New Patriotic Party (NPP), stating that the biggest opposition party has not been at its defensive best for their only victorious presidential candidate.
Nana Agyenim Boateng, aka Gyataba, said being the two surviving former presidents in the country, one would have expected that Mr. Rawlings would work in collaboration with his colleague ex-President in helping the leadership of this country find solutions to the myriad of economic challenges confronting it, and not to engage in constantly unleashing vituperative attacks on Mr. John Agyekum Kufuor.
According to him, former President Rawlings should be the last person to criticise any Ghanaian for the country’s misfortunes, let alone, Mr. Kufuor, after failing to utilise years of being at the helm of affairs. “Mr. Rawlings came to power at a time Ghanaians were very submissive to [the] leadership of this country; the people were ready to do anything to ensure the development of this country, but what did we see, he blew the opportunity and eventually became one of the most corrupt leaders in Africa drunk in political power, and now he turns to blame Kufuor who left office with so much dignity,” Gyataba observed.
Mr. Rawlings was once again at his critic best of his successor, launching yet another blistering attack on Mr. Kufuor, accusing his NPP administration of being responsible for the country’s economic woes during his 35th celebration of the June 4 Uprising in Accra. The UFP National Chairman further observed that it is surprising that someone who assumed the mantle of leadership of this country through the back door (by blood and loss of innocent lives), continues to inundate Ghanaians with sanctimonious sermons of integrity, probity and accountability, when, in actual fact, he lacks those qualities.
Nana Agyenim Boateng said they would be left with no choice, but to respond to Mr. Rawlings in equal manner, stressing that the party would not hesitate to dig the past of the former military leader, and tell later generations about his wicked exploits and the trauma he unleashed on Ghanaians. “We adore Mr. Kufuor so much, because he is the most respected president of all time; he has received both local and international accolades because of his leadership qualities; Mr. Rawlings cannot compare himself to Mr. Kufuor on any stage,” the UFP Chairman noted.