Daily Guide: Mills Lied To Us

A group calling itself concerned supporters of opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) is accusing Prof Evans Atta Mills, flagbearer of the party, of lying to the party faithful and the entire nation about his health status. The concerned supporters who stormed the Kumasi offices of Daily Guide over the weekend said the twice-defeated presidential candidate of the NDC convinced the party hierarchy and delegates to give him the nod to lead them in yet another electoral battle, in spite of his ill-health.

The group which comprised of current and old executives of the Tertiary Education Network of the NDC across the country (TEIN) commented that the Law Professor lied to the party when the issue of his health was discussed extensively ahead of the December 2006 Congress that saw him being elected as flagbearer.

According to the group, the NDC leader denied suffering from cancer and consistently assured party faithful that he was medically fit to lead the party in the December 2008 elections. The group which claimed to have in its possession detailed medical report on the former vice president said he was being economical with the truth when he said he was only suffering from sinusitis and cataract.The concerned supporters categorically stated that the NDC flagbearer was battling with an acute cancer which they alleged was fast spreading to other parts of his body. They indicated that the NDC presidential candidate underwent radiotherapy and chemotherapy which are known treatments for cancer. “How come that a person who has undergone radiotherapy and chemotherapy examinations makes claim to the good people of the country that he is suffering from sinusitis and cataract alone?” they queried.

The group told Daily Guide that reliable information reaching them from South Africa indicated that Prof Mills might soon become blind as the cataract which had affected his left eye was gradually affecting the right eye. “We are reliably informed that for the Law professor to maintain his sight, he has to visit the Southern African country every fortnight.” The concerned NDC supporters challenged the NDC flagbearer to come clean on his health status and stop lying to the NDC and the entire nation. They called on the rank and file of the party to stop behaving like the ostrich and get serious with the issue about the ill-health of their flagbearer.

They emphatically stated that they wanted the party to organize an emergency congress to elect a new and medically stable person as its presidential candidate. The group predicted electoral doom for the party if it hesitates in dumping the allegedly ailing professor. “The NDC, for the poor showing of the ruling party, has a good chance to win the December 7 elections but the opportunity appears to be going a begging way with the ailing professor still at the helm of affairs,” they underscored, stressing that Ghanaians, discerning as they are, would not vote for a party which is led by a medically unfit person.

The group said it was giving the rank and file of the party up to the end of February this year to take a decisive decision concerning Prof Mills’ health, to largely serve the interest of the party or it would stage a massive demonstration in Accra to register its displeasure.The concerned NDC supporters, who believe the party’s campaign towards the December general elections had been slowed, attributed the development to the alleged ill-health of the presidential candidate.

They argued that Prof Mills’ alleged deteriorating health had defeated the party’s decision to elect a presidential candidate two clear years ahead of the general elections as a means of taking a leap over the other candidates in terms of exposure and marketing of ideals. According to the group, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the flagbearer of the ruling party and Dr Paa Kwesi Ndoum, the Convention Peoples Party presidential candidate who were elected much later by their respective parties had made strong impact than Prof Mills who had the nod pretty much earlier.

The concerned NDC supporters described as dysfunctional the ‘door to door’ campaign adopted by the party’s flagbearer. “It is obvious that the ‘door to door’ campaign of Prof Mills is not catching up to brew the necessary enthusiasm required for a party wanting to clinch electoral victory from an incumbent government,” they observed. The group did not mince words in saying the Law professor had become a liability to the NDC.

It would be recalled that recently in Parliament, the NDC Member of Parliament for Lower Manya Krobo, Michael Teye Nyuanu caused a stir when he openly declared that Prof Mills ought to be dropped as the party’s flagbearer because of ill-health. “Whether we like it or not we are going into the race like wounded tigers and we cannot allow a sheep to lead lions into such battle. I’m afraid for my party,” he reportedly said. This outburst from the MP threw the NDC into disarray. He was forced to withdraw the statement and subsequently apologized less than 24 hours after he had expressed his candid opinion.

Daily Guide has gathered that the issue of Prof Mills’ ill-health would not die a natural death any time soon as some rank and file of the NDC are bent on playing the card to force the party to drop the Law professor for an emergency congress to be organized for the election of a fresh candidate before political activities begin to heat up in June.