Ghana's Jerry Rawlings 'backs' wife's presidential bid

Wife of Ghana's Ex-leader Jerry Rawlings

 The wife of Ghana's ex-leader Jerry Rawlings has told the BBC he backs her campaign for December's presidential election.

Nana Konadu Rawlings was chosen at the weekend as the presidential candidate of the National Democratic Party (NDP).

She defected from the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) party, although Mr Rawlings has not done so.

She could split the vote of NDC candidate President John Dramani Mahama, correspondents say.

The other main challenger in the election is expected to be former Foreign Minister Nana Akufo-Addo, the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

Mr Rawlings - who ruled Ghana for 18 years and launched the NDC in 1992 - attended the newly formed NDP's congress on Saturday.

"If he didn't believe in what I was doing, he wouldn't have come... I'm not going in a different direction," Mrs Rawlings told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme.

"The family is always in line with the former president's position on probity, accountability and social justice."


Source: BBC