Hon. John Dramani Mahama, the affable running mate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) flag bearer, Prof. John Evans Atta Mills, has expressed misgivings about the channels used by the founder of the NDC, Flt Lt. Jerry John Rawlings to make his remarks about him (Mahama). According to Hon. Mahama, though he respects the rights of the former President and has nothing against him, the founder could have expressed his opinion through established channels within the party. He said such comments of the founder would precipitate wrong interpretations by the detractors of the party, which he underscored would not help the party. John Dramani Mahama, the NDC MP for Bole-Bamboi, who was chosen ahead of Mrs. Betty Mould Iddrisu, the third wife of the veteran politician Alhaji Mahama Iddrisu and also the choice of the former first couple, and Alhaji Mohammed Mumuni, the legal luminary and ex-Kumbungu MP, has now been bastardized by some people as a result of the Ex-President's remarks. John Mahama, who has declined to make comments on what the former President has said on BBC after Prof. Mills named him, said, there was the need for everybody to carefully listen to the speech of the NDC founder before concluding. “The ex-president has the right to express his views. This goes to demonstrate the mark of democracy that the NDC displays. I am sure that if you sampled the views of the leadership of the party, they would all have different views. I respect his rights to hold a different opinion," he said. The NDC ranking member on Foreign Affairs, whose name has caused a stir within the corridors of the NPP, stressed that "Even though, I have nothing against the former president, I think he could have passed his remarks through the appropriate channels of the party. This is because his comments would be given different interpretations which would not augur well for the party." The NDC running mate's comment came in the wake of reports that he has not performed as the MP for Bole-Bamboi with negative comments flying around about him. Speaking on various radio stations, the affable and respected politician, John Mahama, asserted that though some water might have passed under the bridge he believes that he would lead the party to victory. According to him, apart from the fact that he was bringing respect, humility and integrity on board, he wanted to be a part of a Presidency that would create an environment that would be free for everybody, irrespective of political affiliations and belief in uniting the nation. Prof. Mills' running mate stated that he also believes in a Presidency that would not ask Ghanaians to tighten their belt whilst they themselves live affluent lifestyles. "I am bringing humility and honesty. I also bring an open mind in building our nation. The challenges that Ghana faces today are many and we need to think outside the box." To the soft spoken communication expert, he was not naive in politics and knows that his detractors on the other side of the political divide would throw mud against him, as a partner to Prof. Mills and in their quest to rescue Ghanaians. “The reports in the media were perfectly calculated and orchestrated to coincide with the remarks of the founder. I am aware that by joining Prof. Mills, any instrument would be used to reduce my public image but I am not worried at all," he said. On the accusations that he did nothing to his constituents, John Mahama, the 49 year old politician, laughed it off and stated that anybody who thinks that an MP is an agent of development does not understand the dynamics of governance. On what he would be doing on the campaign trail, he said the party would be meeting to discuss the roles that he would be playing after he was officially introduced. It would be recalled that Mr. Rawlings on BBC last week, stated that the NDC would have won a landslide victory in the upcoming elections if Mrs. Betty Mould Iddrisu had been chosen. Admitting that John Mahama was not an easy walk over for the NPP, he said, "I have always stood by John Mahama because he is very much liked, very much loved, but they have tried to demonize all of us towards 2007 and 2008, and I am saying that John Mahama's image can not rise any further. We would have to do what we can to repair some of the damage but I am saying that the lady was so competent that she had just gripped the nation in much the same manner John Mahama had in 2004 and I think we would have had a landslide victory had he, Prof. Mills, gone in for her. However, I can assure you that John Mahama is still going to be a hard person to beat and they know it." The Former President, who could not make further input to the choice of John Mahama at the Kama Conference center in Accra last week because Prof. Mills dropped the name few minutes before he arrived, insisted that Betty would have been a better choice. On whether or not he would still support Prof. Mills and the NDC, this was what he said, "I have always supported Prof. Atta Mills. I have always supported him, okay. We have our differences and there is no doubt about it but that does not mean that he is going to jump off the boat or I am going to jump off the boat. I mean we owe our duty and responsibility to our people and that for me is sacred. Let nobody spread false news outside about Ghana," he said. Source: The Chronicle