Rawlings disowns RDPP

The founder of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings, has distanced himself from the formation of a new party in the Brong Ahafo Region by people who claim to be championing his ideologies.
According to the NDC founder, he had nothing to do with the ‘so-called’ new political party, the Real Democratic People’s Party (RDPP). An aide to the former President, Mr. Kofi Adams, told the Chronicle newspaper recently, “His Excellency Mr. Rawlings has not formed any Party. He has formed his Party, which is NDC, and he cannot form two Parties”.

Mr. Adams, who doubles as the Deputy General Secretary of the NDC, said whatever information is needed, with regards to the formation of the RDPP, should be sought from those forming the party, and not Mr. Rawlings, who has nothing to do with them. Controversy has rocked the NDC, following reports that the RDPP, which is yet to be registered, had been formed by foot soldiers of the Party.

The National Coordinator of the RDPP, Mr. Raphael Cubagee, stated that the formation of the party was necessitated by the perceived marginalization of individuals close to Mr. Rawlings, by members of President Mills’ government. Mr. Cubagee’s new-born political party has already been launched in the Brong Ahafo Region. The party has the camel as its symbol, and its motto, “Together we build, together we enjoy.”

The RDPP’s colours are red, white, green, black and blue, which represent anger, happiness, freshness, frustration, love and belief in the ideologies and principles of former President Jerry John Rawlings. Speaking at a press conference attended by some supporters from the Brong Ahafo and Ashanti regions to launch the party at Fiapre in the Brong Ahafo Region on Monday, Mr. Raphael Cubagee, aka Shamo Quaye, National Coordinator of the RDPP, said the party’s headquarters would be in Sunyani, the Brong Ahafo Regional Capital. He said the RDPP, which was a social democratic party, also believed in equity for all, and that it was open to all frustrated members within the NDC and other political parties in the country.

Mr. Cubagee, also the Assembly Member of the Abonsuom electoral area in the Sunyani municipality, said that plans were afoot to get the party registered at the Electoral Commission and added that the founding members of the RDPP were people who believed in the ideologies of former President Rawlings. Mr. Cubagee continued that the party had come to stay, and would not be like the National Reform Party (NRP, formed by Goosie Tanoh, and the recent Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) formed by Dr. Obed Asamoah.