Founder of the incumbent National Democratic Congress (NDC), Jerry John Rawlings has chastised former Minister of Transport, Dzifa Attivor for making some comments deemed to be ethnocentric.
The former Minister is on record to have pleaded with members of the NDC at Ketu South in the Volta Region, not to vote for the opposition New Patriotic Party else she and the current Minister of Transport, Fiifi Kwetey, who are all from the region, will be jailed under an NPP government.
She is said to have asked the NDC supporters to take into consideration the works of Mr. Rawlings and vote massively for the NDC in the upcoming polls.
But a statement signed by the former President Jerry John Rawlings on Wednesday, condemned the comments.
“I find it distasteful that aside making ethnocentric references accusing the NPP Presidential candidate of being tribalistic, she [Dzifa Attivor] also insinuated that because I was the Founder of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the electorate in the Volta Region should vote for the party on that basis.”
Ex-President Rawlings said he does not subscribe to tribal politics hence must not be drawn into such issues.
“I do not subscribe to the politics of ethnic bias and never have. While I may not be a fan of the NPP, I know their presidential candidate is not tribalistic or ethnocentric.
Whatever Nana Addo’s shortcomings, tribalism is not one of them. Some known and respected Voltarians like Nutifafa Kuenyehia should be able to testify to his political nature.”
He further urged politicians to make their arguments be guided by “truth and desist from emotional and non-factual statements. I implore the electorate not to allow immature behaviour and pronouncements to cloud their judgment.”
Below is the full statement:
STATEMENT ON ETHNOCENTRIC COMMENTS BY DZIFA ATTIVOR
My attention has been drawn to a statement made by a former Minister for Transport, Dzifa Attivor at a political event at Wodoaba in the Volta Region.
I find it distasteful that aside making ethnocentric references accusing the NPP Presidential candidate of being tribalistic, she also insinuated that because I was the Founder of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the electorate in the Volta Region should vote for the party on that basis.
Before making such unfortunate statements let’s remove the logs in our own eyes.
I do not subscribe to the politics of ethnic bias and never have. While I may not be a fan of the NPP, I know their presidential candidate is not tribalistic or ethnocentric.
Whatever Nana Addo’s shortcomings, tribalism is not one of them. Some known and respected Voltarians like Nutifafa Kuenyehia should be able to testify to his political nature.
As we draw closer to the next Presidential and Parliamentary elections we all as Ghanaians expect ALL PARTIES involved in the process to base their arguments and campaign rhetoric on the truth and desist from emotional and non-factual statements, especially where my name has to be mentioned.
I implore the electorate not to allow immature behaviour and pronouncements to cloud their judgment.
Thank you.
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By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana