An aide to the Rawlingses, Kofi Adams has dismissed suggestions that former President Jerry Rawlings is under pressure to call on his wife Nana Konadu to stand down her decision to contest President Mills for the ruling party’s 2012 flagbearership slot. Kofi Adams who is also a deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) said such suggestions has no basis but just a deliberate attempt by some mischievous elements to make it seem as though former President Rawlings has a negative view of a Nana Konadu's presidential ambitions. The Office of Former President Jerry John Rawlings earlier this week in a press statement reacted to a publications in the Ghanaian Lens newspaper that sought to suggest that Mr. Rawlings had stabbed the wife in the back by distancing himself from ‘Friends of Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings’ (FONKAR), a pressure group fronting and actively pushing for Mrs. Rawlings to be the NDC’s flagbearer. The Ghanaian Lens publication of Tuesday, April 19, 2011 reported that President Rawlings had in a press statement distanced himself from the group known as FONKAR. Some party executives have also appealed to the former first lady not to contest the sitting president because it could be suicidal to the party’s quest to retain power in 2012. But Kofi Adams on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen programme Thursday, noted his boss is not under any pressure to stop his wife from contesting President Mills in their presidential primaries on July 8. According him, it is part of a ploy by some people to misinteprete the statements of Mr. Rawlings in their bid to score points with their political sponsors. He noted that Mrs. Rawlings' intention to contest President Mills for the flagbearership position is borne out of a desire to ensure that the party builds a stronger and united outlook towards the 2012 elections. Kofi Adams said the NDC should rather focus on strategies to face the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the 2012 elections which would be the toughest elections in the history of the country. “2012 election is not a tea party; it is going to be the toughest elections ever fought in this country; tougher than 2008 elections he added. On the mass endorsement of President Mills by some party executives, Kofi Adams said Mrs. Rawlings is not perturbed stating that “she has been in this game to know when people are playing chess or are playing draught”. The deputy General Secretary observed that, the outcome of the congress would be respected stressing that the electoral and campaign process must be free and fair. Kofi Adams was very optimistic that Mrs. Rawlings will emerge winner of the contest and make history by becoming the first female President of the country. Story by Adwoa Gyasiwaa/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana