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General News of Wednesday, 16 April 2008

Source: Frank Addo

John Mahama has got it- JJ

Former President Jerry Rawlings says he has faith in the Mills & Mahama to win the 2008 December elections, but noted that a Betty Mould Iddrisu running mate would have ensured a wider landslide victory.

Rawlings, who supported and advocated for a John Mahama running mate in 2004 and was a Mahama canvasser till the latter part of 2007, explained that the wife of his former Defence Minister has grown in popularity and has been able to have a strong grip on the country now that her nomination would have eased the battle for the NDC.

According to him, Betty has worked hard within the period to become what John Mahama was and his popularity rating in 2004 when he Rawlings believed that he would have made it impossible for the NPP to steal the elections. The former President and Founder of the NDC told the London based BBC that he is still convinced that the affable and popular John Mahama will give the New Patriotic Party a match of their lives.

“…John is still going to be a hard guy for these people to beat and they know it.”

According to Rawlings John Mahama may not be a that much of a charismatic person but he brings to the ticket a fair measure of integrity that the NPP cannot match up to, and that among others makes John Mahama a likeable and admirable person.

“All we want is for the international community not to desert us as they did in 2004 and allowed them to steal the elections but to be here to monitor what is going to happen here.”

The NDC Founder who sprung John Atta Mills from the walls of academia to be his running mate in 1996 and has supported him over the last 10 years to lead the NDC said he has always supported Atta Mills and will continue to do that.

I’ve always supported him, ok? We’ve our differences, there’s no doubt about that but that does not mean he’s going to jump off the boat or I’m going to jump off the boat. We owe a responsibility to our people, and that for me is sacred. Let nobody spread any frantic news...”