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Pollster Ben Ephson has predicted that Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings’ return to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) could be disastrous to the party.
He further predicted a loss for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2024 elections should Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings be made running mate to John Mahama.
According to him, staunch NDC supporters would be angry should the party welcome the ‘prodigal’ member.
Speaking on Angel FM’s Anopa Bofo breakfast show on Monday, he said that people who vote for NDC may revolt and decide not to vote for the party in the upcoming 2024 elections should Nana Konadu return.
Ben Ephson argued that Nana Konadu’s aim for exiting the party in 2012 – to affect the NDC’s fortunes in the election -was not achieved.
He further stated that she didn’t poll enough votes in the 2020 election to compel the party to ‘break its back’ and call for her return.
Speaking in the Twi parlance, he stressed that Nana Konadu didn’t get up to 6,600 votes in the 2020 election, she polled a little over 6,500 and my view is that bonafide members of the party would be angry and NDC voters would refuse to vote.
Ben Epson’s comments follow a plea from Dr. Zanetor Rawlings for the NDC to bring back her mother into the fold.
“At this juncture, I would want to say what no one wants to hear. Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings is an integral part of the party. Let us do all we can to bring her back”, she said during the first-anniversary commemoration ceremony for the late Flight Lieutenant Rawlings.
However, the pollster disagreed with Dr. Rawlings saying that it is not her place to make such a request.
He noted that the best practice would be for the NDP leader, Nana Konadu, to return on her own accord or for party big wigs to say she’s making efforts to restore peace after the bad blood that ensued between them.
Contrary to Ben Ephson’s views, the immediate-past Deputy General Secretary in-charge of Operations for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Koku Anyidoho, has expressed full support for the call for the NDC to extend a hand of reconciliation to Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings.
“It is about time, pride, hubris, egos, are shelved, for the NDC to go back to basics and rebuild the spirit of comradeship and camaraderie”. he said.
He added that “people are saying Konadu left so nobody sacked her. It is true she left on her own volition but nothing stops the NDC from making genuine efforts at reaching out to her. When she left and she was taunted and waved goodbye, what did we expect? Certainly, it was going to be difficult for her to return. If years have gone by and there is a call from no less a person than a daughter of Jerry John Rawlings to reach out to her mother, let the NDC not take it lightly “.
