A member of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Victor Smith, has described former president Jerry John Rawlings as a “bitter” person following the NDC polls in Sunyani where his wife Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings lost woefully to the late president John Evans Atta Mills.

Victor Smith, who was once was Mr. Rawlings’ spokesperson but fell out with him has been in the news lately for throwing jabs at the former head state for his incessant attacks and criticisms of the NDC.

Giving a brief history on Rawlings’ contempt towards the NDC, the Victor Smith said Rawlings usually raised issues that had to do with Professor Mills’ failure to prosecute the Kufuor-led-government for doing so many wrong things which Rawlings thought they should be punished.

According to him, the military ruler turned democratic leader was unhappy that John Atta Mills did not confide in him hence “he [Rawlings] got angry with Professor Mills to the extent that his wife decides to contest Atta Mills,a sitting President at the Primaries.”

Speaking on ’21 minutes with KKB’, the outspoken Diplomat told host, Kwabena Kyekyehene Boateng, that the Rawlingses got the shock of their lives when the outcome of the primaries revealed that John Atta Mills, who was the flagbearer of the NDC beat Nana Konadu Rawlings’ National Democratic Party (NDP) with 96.9%.

Ambassador Victor Smith believed that the turnouts of events could have been prevented if ex-president Rawlings heeded the advice of some kingpins of the NDC to prevent his wife from contesting against a party he founded and one which she played a key role.

While adding that Mrs Rawlings was walking in the shadows of her husband, he said “He is our founder so he probably thought the NDC cannot look at him in the face and vote against his wife or give him the kind of result that came out of Sunyani.”

“So I think there is some bitterness bottled in him. The wife has gone to form some political party in the meantime. People have tried to tell him that why don’t you tell your wife to come back to the party because she was one of the people who started the party. The lady played a key role.” He lamented.

“So why is she going to form a political party of her own? Because of the outcome of election?” he rhetorically asked the host.
Mr. Smith recently called on the leadership of the NDC to call Rawlings to order, or pay for it dearly in the 2020 general elections. He said failure on the party’s side to stop Rawlings from further attacks could have dire repercussions on the NDC’s chances in the upcoming elections.

Seemingly describing him as undemocratic, he saw no reason for Rawlings’ anger towards the party. Instead, he adviced that the former NDC ruler take a cue from the people and respect their decision based on who they vote into power.

In a statement which appeared to be directed at Nana Konau Rawlings he said, “You may have to work hard the next time. You may have to tell them better stories next time. You many have to convince them about what you can do as a leader and then they will give you the mandate.”