Ahwoi takes on Spio-Garbrah

2/10/09
Story: Musah Yahya Jafaru
A leading member of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Ato Ahwoi, has described Dr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah’s criticism of the Mills administration as an attempt to position himself for the 2012 flag-bearer race of the party.
He said Dr Spio-Garbrah’s inordinate ambition to become the presidential candidate of the NDC in 2012 was at the core of his criticism and asked him to bid his time, “be a team player” and not say things that would bring divisions within the party.
Speaking with the Daily Graphic on a wide range of issues, Mr Ahwoi said, “People who are over-ambitious tend to reinforce the organisation of the opposition.”
He was responding to a recent article in the Daily Graphic written by Dr Spio-Garbrah who contested the NDC flag bearer slot against President Mills in 2006.
In the article, Dr Spio-Garbrah attacked the Mills administration for appointing Team B ministers, while some Team A materials were at the touchline, and for being slow in running the affairs of the country.
He is a former Minister of Education in the last NDC government and is currently the Chief Executive Officer of the London-based Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation.
Mr Ahwoi said Dr Spio-Garbrah’s criticism would not distract President Mills in any way, saying that “President Mills is focused and nothing will distract him from the path he has taken”.
He denied claims that there was a power struggle or Rawlings and Mills camps within the NDC, saying that “there is no problem of a rift within the party”.
Rather, Mr Ahwoi said, it was Dr Spio-Garbrah who was being driven by over-ambition to create a wedge within the party and indicated that the rank and file of the party were not happy about it.
“Whether he (Dr Spio-Garbrah) is echoing what former President Rawlings has said is not important. He is just setting himself up to challenge President Mills in 2012. It has nothing to do with the founder,” he stressed.
He, therefore, urged NDC members to “be calm and stand firm”, since the party was superior to any personality.
Mr Ahwoi, who is a former Secretary of Trade in the PNDC government, said he did not bear Dr Spio-Garbrah, whom he described as a friend, any grudge.
He said his reaction to Dr Spio-Garbrah’s criticism was simply “to set the records straight”.
He said his reaction was also not an attempt by the NDC to gag any member from expressing his or her views.
He said Dr Spio-Garbrah had the right to make his criticism, just as he (Ahwoi) was also entitled to give his reaction, and indicated that such criticism must be constructive.
“This shows how democratic the NDC is,” he said.