‘Saint’ Rawlings thinks everybody else is a crook – Obed Asamoah

A former national chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Dr Obed Yao Asamoah has also waded into the Sawyerr vs Rawlings feud and says former President J.J. Rawlings thinks that he is the only “saint” and all others are “crooks.”
In a radio interview on Accra based Joy FM Wednesday evening, Dr Asamoah congratulated Dr Valerie Sawyerr, a former deputy chief of staff for speaking her mind and taking on Rawlings in her ‘Ntomtom or Nwansena’ article.
According to Dr Asamoah, he has since sent a personal congratulatory message to Dr Sawyerr for speaking her mind and explained that when he worked with former President Rawlings, he didn’t have difficulties.
But he said the problem arose when he [Rawlings] tried to impose late President John Evans Atta Mills on the party as its leader.
“That is when I felt other people were also entitled to be considered, that is when we had our clashes and differences.”
Asked if he was ever surprised with the manner Mr Rawlings ‘dealt’ with President Mills while the latter was president [2009 – 2012] and in the way he criticised him, Dr Asamoah said he was not.
“In many ways it was quite obvious to me that he [Rawlings] wanted Professor Mills because he felt he could control him but when Prof Mills got the leadership and then won power, he [Mills] played an independent role and I think that didn’t sit well with him [Rawlings] and that is why he started attacking him.”
“Everybody else is a crook, he [Rawlings] is a saint, that is his attitude… no human being is a saint, everybody else has his difficulties here and there but I must say that by and large he [Rawlings] is way above average in terms of honesty and integrity. At least he tries more than the others. Everybody is in good standing to criticise, that has been my philosophy, anybody should have his freedom to speak his mind.”
“People should not just worship people just because they happen to be Mr A or Mr B. I hate hero worship, particularly when it goes to the extent of ignoring the falls and mistakes of the person.”