Ghana: Nana Rawlings quits as NDC's first vice chairman to challenge Mills

Wife of former president Jerry Rawlings, Nana Rawlings, has said she will challenge President John Atta Mills in her party's upcoming primaries.

A letter to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) general secretary dated 14th April said that Rawlings was resigning from her position as NDC's first vice chairman so she could seek her party's nomination for the presidency in the July primaries. This is the first time a sitting president has been challenged by a member of the ruling party for the party's nomination.

The Presidency has downplayed the news. Director of Communications Koku Anyidoho told reporters that Mills would remain focused on delivering his electoral promises and would not be swayed by “distractions within the NDC.”

The Greater Accra regional branch of the NDC has pledged its support for the President in any leadership contest and has issued a statement saying that “any attempt to change him as the candidate on the ticket of the NDC for the 2012 elections will be an unwise decision.”

The Ashanti region, Western region and Upper West region constituency executives have also expressed their support for President Mills as NDC presidential candidate for the 2012 elections.

Former president Jerry Rawlings seized power in Ghana in successive coups, first in 1979 and then again in 1981. He then served as the country's elected president between 1993 and 2001.

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