A proliferation of large colour posters around Accra and other large towns proclaim Nana Konadu as the best hope for the presidential election in 2012. Their appearance is the clearest indication yet that the former first lady and her husband, former president Jerry John Rawlings, are planning a challenge to incumbent president John Atta Mills at the next party conference of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Former president Rawlings has been gradually stepping up the volume and virulence of his attacks on Mills over the past year and seems unconstrained by concerns that he is splitting the ruling NDC and damaging its chances in the 2012 elections.
Heralded as a part of a campaign by self-styled NDC 'Foot Soldiers', the appearance of the posters supporting Nana Konadu has been shrouded in mystery. Anonymous callers claiming to be 'Foot Soldiers' have been telephoning FM stations in Accra to voice discontent with the Mills administration, but they will not explain how they have raised the money to launch the campaign.
At celebrations in Tamale to mark the 4th June anniversary of Rawlings' seizure of power in 1979, activists waved posters and banners in support of the Movement for Nana Konadu Rawlings 2012. However, the campaign has evidently mushroomed since then, with posters appearing in the main commercial areas of Accra, Cape Coast and Kumasi.
Spokesman for the Rawlings family Kofi Adams has insisted that Nana Konadu knew nothing about the 'Foot Soldiers' and their campaign. However, he said that as party activists they had the right to pursue their campaign and promote their ideas within the party.
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© 2010 Menas Associates
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