Fallout From Rawlings-Govt Brouhaha - Mills Nearly Resigned

Credible and unimpeachable information available to the Independent newspaper say, but for the timely intervention of close pals and aides, Ghanaians would have woken up one fine morning to read with shock the letter of resignation of President John Evans Atta Mills who would have indicated that, he was no longer going to be the leader of this country.

A deep throat source at the corridors of power has revealed to the Independent newspaper that the President nearly threw in the towel last month as his patience had been over stretched to its elastic limit in respect of the scathing and incessant attacks from both the former President and his close associates.

The President had planned to hand over his letter of resignation as in the words of the source, "He just cannot take the attacks anymore. The former law professor has endured so much attack ever since he jumped into the murky waters of the country's politics after he was picked by Mr. Rawlings to be his running mate from 1996 to December 2000. This would have been the first time a sitting President would have made voluntarily exit before serving the full tenure of his term in office as an elected President of Ghana.

Only Presidents Kufuor and Rawlings have achieved this feat in the political history of Ghana. According to the source, the President was impressed upon by very close friends and loyalists not to give in to the harassment of the former first couple who have repeatedly expressed their disappointments with this administration.

President Mills has for the time being, decided to heed to the counsel of his bosom friends and has decided to shelve his resignation plans but indications are that, he would exist the Osu Castle by the end of the year if the attacks on his person and administration do not cease.

It is not clear when Mr. Rawlings and his soulmate, Nana Konadu would stop pouring venom on the President and his ministers who were all loyal to the former President's administration. Former President Rawlings last year criticized the Party he led to power for two terms and for which he had worked tirelessly since 2004 to help bring back to power in 2009 after a crucial election that saw Professor Mills beating his closest challenger by less than 0.3 percent after a run-off, for non-performance.

Mr. Rawlings has repeatedly expressed disenchantment with the way and manner the country is being administered and also accused the President of fielding a team B in government whom he described as mediocre ministers. He does not seem to be happy with the slow pace of government to start the prosecution and the jailing of Ministers who served in ex-President Kufuor's administration who Rawlings sees as the most corrupt in the country's post-independence history. Matters came to a head when moves were made by a group calling on the wife of the former President to replace President Mills as the next leader even before the end of his first four year-term in office.

At a rally to celebrate June 4 in Tamale, supporters of the former first Lady outdoored her presidential ambition, which has since generated heat and controversy in the party as loyalists of the Mills and Rawings camps have all taken positions and have started firing salvoes at rival camps.

It seems that, the poisonous arrowhead of the Rawlingses has produced the desired effect as the President nearly gave in last month to what would have been a shocker to the nation. Our source revealed that, aides to President Mills convinced him that, resignation would have signified weakness on his part and victory to the former first family who still relish that enviable position in the country, which they have occupied for almost two decades.

The President is also particularly not happy with the verbal bout between his close advisor, Mr. Ato Ahwoi, and Mr. Herbert Mensah, a close associate of the Rawlingses on an Accra-based radio Station, Radio Gold where they made very shocking revelations of how plans were put in place to dump Mills who was then the presidential candidate of the NDC due to his purported health problems.

Aided to the unbridled attacks of the Rawlingses is the headache posed by the agitations of low ranking supporters and sympathisers of the party who call themselves foot soldiers who felt neglected after also playing important roles in bringing the NDC to government. They have claimed severally that the "spoils of war" is not getting to them as they had expected albeit they have been patient enough with the government.

Our deep throat sources said recent pledge of support to President Mills coming from the ten regional chairmen of the party and other strong quarters has calmed the nerves of the number one citizen of the land. He has however adopted a wait and see attitude up to the end of this year before he entirely decides his political future with the party.

He would not consider forming a political party as is being speculated in some political circles. When contacted for confirmation or otherwise, Chief of Staff, Mr. J.H. Newman denied flatly any knowledge of such a decision by the President while Hon. John Akolugu Tia, Minister of Information told The Independent newspaper that, "I consider this as a rumour and I don't want to discuss rumours." Hon. Tia also stated that, "If indeed the President wants to resign, that will be a private matter and not an issue that involves the government as an official body, so even though I am the information minister, he many not inform me.