A former Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) Dr. Obed Asamoah, has said former President Jerry John Rawlings is not the Founder of the party.

According to him at the time of filing for the registration of the NDC, the ex-President was still in the Ghana Armed Forces and could not have represented any district as a founding father.

Dr Obed Asamoah said this during an exclusive interview with Joy News' Emefa Apawu.

He explains that after the party was set up a clause was fixed in the Constitution of the party to recognise his contribution to the ideals upon which the party was founded.

“I dealt with the application of the NDC to the Electoral Commission for registration. The law at the time, and still the law is the same, is that you must have founders from the different districts... to sign the papers.

“I can show you the duplicate of the papers. They are here right now because I dealt with that whole process, and President Rawlings’ name is not on that list,” said the respected lawyer.

There has been a raging argument within the ranks of the NDC over Rawlings' status as Founder following his criticism of every other President save himself and his government from 1992 to 2000.

Obed Yao Asamoah

But he has hit hardest at the two former Presidents under the NDC administration -- John Mahama and John Atta Mills -- and their officials as being corrupt and failing to live by the ideals of the party.

Read: Rawlings still remains the founder of the NDC - Inusah Fuseini

While some see this as characteristic of the former revolution leader's love for probity and accountability, other's see it as a deliberate effort to destroy the party he is losing his grips of influence on.

Dr Obed Asamoah also revealed he congratulated Dr Valerie Sawyer for her fiery criticism of ex-president John Rawlings.

Related: Mahama's Deputy Chief of Staff gets support for Rawlings, Amidu rant

Dr Obed Asamoah insists such criticisms are needed to build a better country.

According to him, Ghanaians should be given the opportunity to “speak their minds” on issues irrespective of who is at the centre of those issues.

He said he had, at some point, been critical of the former President and would welcome anyone who will take on leaders of the country for their misdeeds.

Watch more from the interview in the video below.