Former president John Mahama has asked members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to be decorous and not to insult the founder of the party, former President Jerry John Rawlings.
He said though some party members may have their difference with Mr. Rawlings and or may not like some of his actions, particularly towards the NDC, that should not be grounds to insult him.
Mr Rawlings who was very critical of the John Mahama administration has been criticised by some NDC members over suspicions of being in bed with president Nana Akufo-Addo.
Nana Akufo-Addo has since assuming office, received commendation from Mr. Rawlings, something that has given rise to the suspicions of critics.
Be decorous
Notwithstanding, Mr. Mahama at the seventh Unity Walk held in Wa in the Upper West Region Saturday told party fatefuls to be decorous in their utterances about the founder.
“You might not like something he says or might not like an action that he has undertaken. You can disagree with his views [but] don’t insult him; don’t insult his person” he cautioned.
Mr. Mahama underscored the need for NDC members to be decorous in their political discourse, indicating the powerfulness of the tongue, stating “what you speak has more power than even your physical action and the words, once they leave your mouth, you cannot take them back.
As the party prepares to elect executives, he said it is imperative for candidates and the electorates to avoid the use of “injurious words on your colleague”.
He said the people they may insult would be the same people they would need to work with to achieve their mandate when elected an executive of the party
“That is why we must be very careful,” he advised, and urged all to be “positive even if we have political opponents and I’m not talking only within our party but outside our party.
Let us talk about ideas and not personal insults, he said.
