Managing Editor of the New Crusading Guide newspaper Abdul Malik Kweku Baako Jnr has vouched for his arch political rival's kind nature revealing, President Rawlings had offered  to sponsor him to the annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca.

"I am not exactly an anti-Rawlings person. I detest his politics. But he is very nice person socially", Kweku Baako, said on Joy FM's  political affairs program Newsfile Saturday.

His comments were a preface to a discussion on former President Jerry John Rawlings' recent attack against the government during a ceremony to confer on him an honorary doctrate by the University of Education, Winneba, last Thursday.

Rawlings had accused President John Mahama of presiding over an unprecedented levels of corruption, display of opulence and power by his appointees and charged the political leadership to arrest the situation and restore hope and confidence in the citizenry.

In discussing the matter, Malik Kweku Baako Jnr acknowledged the charismatic nature of the ex-president but was quick to seperate Mr Rawlings' message from the messenger.

He said whilst, Mr Rawlings admonitions were appropriate, he doubted if he had the moral right to be making such a pronouncement.

He added Mr Rawlings had subjected all political leadership right from Nkrumah to John Mahama to severe insults but somehow, had conviniently projected his (Rawlings) government as the holiest.

The criticisms, notwithstanding, Kweku Baako said times are easing his radical posture towards Rawlings.

"As we are all growing everybody is becoming moderate about some of these things."

"I am told recently he even told [personal assistant] Kofi Adams to ensure that I got a ticket to go to Mecca", the Muslim Editor-in-chief revealed.

"For him to have thought of me in that sense, that is a nice person I do not hate Rawlings".

It is not clear if Baako acutally received the ticket.

Former President Jerry John Rawlings

Kweku Baako, a 'licensed' critic of the Rawlingses had had occasion to describe the former president in very harsh terms as often as Rawlings makes public statements.

He had once branded the former president a 'licensed irritant" and an incoherent person.