Nana Konadu resigns NDC post to challenge Mills

Accra, April 14, GNA - Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, First Vice Chairman of the Ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), has resigned her position to contest the party's forthcoming presidential primaries, ending months of speculation that she would contest President John Evans Atta Mills for the party's ticket.

"I have from this day, 13th of April, 2011 resigned as Vice Chairperson of the National Democratic Congress. This will enable me (to) respond to numerous calls on me to contest the flagbearership of the NDC when nominations are opened," the former First Lady wrote in a brief resignation letter addressed to the Party's General Secretary. The letter, which was mailed to the media from the Office former president, confirmed the deep split in the NDC between President Mills and former President Jerry John Rawlings, who is the founder of the party.

Nana Konadu and President Mills have had teams in the field campaigning for the votes of delegates. Already, a number of delegates have been declaring their support for either candidate.

For months, followers of the two members of party have been seen wearing T-shirts with their effigies embossed ton them canvassing support.

The NDC has set July 8-10, 2011 for its National Delegates' Conference at which it will elect its flag bearer for the 2012 election. The decision was taken at the party's National Executive Committee(NEC) meeting held in Accra=A0on Friday. The National Delegates' Conference would be held in Sunyani.

The meeting also decided that nominations would be between=A0May 3 and 10. Any member of the National Executive, who intends to contest, is expected to resign his/her position.

Nana Konadu's decision comes against the background of growing stormy relations between former President Rawlings and President Mills as the power struggle intensifies by the day.

Loyalists of former President Rawlings say the party has been hijacked by President Mills' and his followers.

President Mills, who served as Vice President under former President Rawlings, between 1997 and 2001 was the anointed successor of President Rawlings but he has been one of his most bitter critics since the NDC returned to power in 2009. The former president has criticised President Mills for not taking his advice. The decision by former President Rawlings to endorse his then Vice President Mills in what has become known as The Swedru Declaration" led a split in the party with those against the declaration forming the Reform Party under Goosie Tanoh before the 2000 election.

The Reform Party fared poorly in that election and is now inactive with the members returning to the NDC.

The NDC survived another major upheaval, the formation of the Democratic Freedom Party (DFP), led by former Foreign Minister and Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Dr Obed Asamoah. That party also did not fare well during the 2008 election that brought President Mills to power.

Political observers believe an election of the party's candidate at an early conference would end the bitter in-fighting that is threatening to tear the party apart.

Normally the NDC in government chooses its presidential candidate one year before election.

The party was said to have ironed out its differences after the Tamale Congress that elected new national executives, but this turned out to be false.