Rawlings was a good friend and repository of sound advice - Akufo-Addo
- Tension between President Akufo-Addo and former President Rawlings started easing in 2012
- That led to a close friendship for the better of eight years
- Rawlings reportedly backed Akufo-Addo’s second term bid
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President Nana Akufo-Addo on Wednesday, January 27, 2021, stated that former President Rawlings was a “repository of sound advice” to him until his death.
“From my entry into office right up to the day he was called by his maker, he remained a good friend and a repository of sound advice,” he stated during the former president’s state burial service.
Source: Facebook
“I knew in moments of difficulty in my presidency I could count on his wealth of experience and knowledge. And, on those occasions he came through for me,” he added.
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According to President Akufo-Addo, the easing of tension between them began in 2012 when he visited Rawlings’ Ridge residence, culminating in a friendship that lasted for the better of some eight years.
Rawlings died on November 12, 2020, whilst receiving treatment after a short illness at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.
He was 73.
He reportedly backed President Akufo-Addo to win the December 2020 general elections before his untimely demise, a close friend by the name Riad Hozaife, disclosed.
According to Hozaife, Rawlings loathe the fact that former President, John Dramani Mahama, was leading the NDC into the elections.
“Jerry Rawlings supported Nana in the election,” Hozaife reportedly said on Accra-based Asempa FM.
President Akufo-Addo went ahead to win the elections held barely a month after the death of Rawlings.
He defeated Mahama to secure another four-year term; collecting 51.302% of the votes cast against the latter’s 47.359%.
Meanwhile, the former National Women's Organizer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the party Rawlings founded, jabbed his widow Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings over the state funeral.
While speaking in an interview on Adom FM and monitored by YEN.com.gh, Anita De Sosoo indicated that Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings left out the NDC and relatives of Rawlings from the funeral.
She went on to say that even the traditional rulers from the Volta Region were exempted from partaking in the funeral.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
