Former Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Martin Amidu, has unveiled a series of revelations regarding the selection process of former President John Dramani Mahama as the running mate of Prof John Evans Atta-Mills in 2007.
Amidu’s disclosures, published in an editorial, shed light on purported events involving the late Jerry John Rawlings, the founding father of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
According to Amidu, Rawlings was allegedly snubbed during the nomination process of Mahama, which led to internal strife within the NDC. He recounted being tasked by Rawlings to engage with the then President of Burkina Faso, Blaise Compaore, regarding ‘the nominee’ for the vice-presidential position.
“A situation that brought conflict within the NDC occurred on 24 December 2007 when former President Rawlings caused Victor Smith to invite me for a discussion to undertake a mission on his behalf to Burkina Faso,” Amidu stated in his editorial.
Amidu further revealed that upon his return from the mission, he discovered that Rawlings had been snubbed when he went to inquire about whether Prof. Mills had offered the position to the identified nominee. The nomination, Amidu claimed, was subsequently made after Rawlings’ alleged snub, sparking intense acrimony within the NDC.
These revelations come amidst the backdrop of Amidu’s discontent with the handling of the announcement of Mahama’s running mate for the 2024 elections. Amidu expressed dissatisfaction with the party’s decision to announce Mahama’s nomination without disclosing the identity of the nominee.
“The problem with the manner the NDC Press Release was couched is that from my personal experience, whosoever has been nominated by John Mahama as his running mate must have been invited and offered the nomination and he or she must have accepted the nomination already,” Amidu wrote in his editorial.
He went on to reference his own nomination process in 2000 and 2004, highlighting that the nominee was approved and announced on the same day the nomination was offered and accepted.