During electioneering campaigns it takes the collective effort of other people to push party nominees to the top. But when everything is over, the winner is the one who calls the shots. He or she is the one who runs the show. Period! This is the point that I want to drum home to former President Rawlings. Its¢ Mills¢ time.

We all know that Rawlings did a lot by campaigning relentlessly for President Mills. This act is something that should not be swept under the carpet. But what Rawlings needs to know is that during his run for President in 1992 and 1996 others also campaigned fiercely for him. And when he won both elections, he was allowed the pace and time to move on with his agenda and vision for the country.

What Rawlings did for President Mills needs the commendation from the NDC party as a whole. But Rawlings should not use this act as a springboard for him to tell President Mills what to do. It is President Mills who won the election; therefore, Rawlings should give him the space and time to assemble his team of ministers to rule Ghana.

The news making rounds that Rawlings is not happy with the slow pace with which the Mills Transitional Team is dealing with the Kufour¢s Transitional Team is worrying. When an out-going government is transitioning to an in-coming government care needs to be taken so that the process is smooth to help the in-coming administration to know exactly what is on the ground. There is no need for shove over the out-going Transitional Team just because you have won the elections, therefore, I would caution Rawlings to stay calm and allow Mills to do what he thinks is best for the country.

Rawlings was also reported to have raised issue with the MCE¢s and DCEs who were asked to stay in office until further notice. This is the most sensible thing President Mills did. You do not run off these executives from office when they have not done any proper handing over or accounted for their stewardship, therefore, Rawlings should not allow whatever steam that he has harboured for the past 8 years to take the better part of him.

One thing that Rawlings should know is that the NPP has sown some false perception in the minds of Ghanaians that he always has the penchant to dominate President Mills. That was why the NPP run away from their so-called achievements and trumpeted that issue over and over during the electioneering campaign.

We are in 2009; certain things that worked in 2001 may not necessarily work this year. Plus every leader or individual has his or her own style of dealing with issues. Therefore, Rawlings should not force President Mills to deal with issues the way he would have dealt with it. They are two distinct leaders, therefore, there are things he may suggest to President Mills, but not expect that he goes with it, without weighing its¢ pros and cons.

I would have preferred that Rawlings would have sought a meeting with President Mills and expressed concerns about the issues he raised without bringing them to the open. The NDC suffered as a party for 8 solid years. And had it not been the good grassroot work that the party put in place, I do not think NDC would still be a party today.

If ex-president Rawlings is aware of this, I guess he would be the last person to do something that would put the NDC party in a negative fashion. He has to know that it was this singular victory by President Mills that ended the political vendetta against his wife.. Therefore, if I were him I would be very grateful and talk about issues that would further help the NDC to move the country forward in order to put the party in a better position to win the next elections.

ekwansema@yahoo.com