BNI: Plot To Disrupt NDC Congress

Intelligence reports picked up by The Herald indicate that a plot has been hatched by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to infiltrate the ranks of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and disrupt the Delegates’ Congress at Sunyani in the Brong Ahafo Region, later this week.

The reports say that land-guards have been recruited, particularly from Ablekuma in Accra, as the core of these agents of mayhem.

The reports have led to the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) and the other security agencies, being placed on red alert to ruthlessly deal with anyone caught disrupting the peace in the region, even if they are known NDC supporters.

The modus operandi is for the land-guards to wear Prof. Atta Mills’ embossed T-shirts, and violently attack people belonging to the Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings’ faction so as to scare them away from the congress venue, thereby disrupting the event, and throwing the NDC party into total and irreparable confusion.

It is not clear yet whether the armed attack on the vehicle of the Ashanti Regional NDC Chairman, Yaw Owusu Obimpeh, last week Thursday night near the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Kumasi, shattering his windscreen, is a sign of things to come.

Kumasi in the Ashanti Region and Techiman in the Brong Ahafo Region, have been mentioned as the targets of the violent attacks, according to The Herald’s sources within the security. Techiman, the home base of the National Organizer of NPP, Moctar Bamba, has been mentioned as a key venue where security will be extra tight.

A certain Alhaji B.T. Bandah, a self- acclaimed organizer, who touts himself as very influential in the success of ex-President Rawlings’ “June 4” event is said to be, in charge of organizing the land-guards. These recruits have been made several promises and protection.

The Herald has gathered that the plot to disrupt the congress has come to the notice of the security agencies, leading to several steps being taken to nip in the bud any destructive activity that may likely spell the doom of the NDC come the 2012 presidential elections, and by extension, disturb the peace this country is enjoying.

Several meetings, The Herald has picked up, have been held by the Regional Security Councils (REGSECs) of both Sunyani and Kumasi, in collaboration with their counterparts at the national level.

Sources within the security agencies disclosed to The Herald that Lt. Col. Larry Gbevlo-Lartey, National Security Co-ordinator has been at all the meetings, so far, that underscored the need for a tight security operation before, during and after the Sunyani Congress.

Also present at the at meeting which was held at the Regional Co-ordinating Council was one of Mr. Gbevlo-Lartey’s deputy in-charge of Operations, Mr. Korsive Degbor. One Brigadier Meshio of the Ghana Armed Forces who has his office at Burma Camp, was sighted at the meeting.

Police Director of Operations, Mr. Kudalor, the Brong Ahafo Regional bosses of Immigration Service, Customs and Police bosses were all present at the meeting.

Mr. Johnson Asiedu-Nketia alias General Mosquito, the General Secretary of the NDC and Yaw Boateng-Gyan, National Organizer of the NDC, were all mentioned to have attended some the meetings, where it was resolved that the congress venue, “Sunyani Sports Stadium, should be saturated with both uniform and plainclothes security men”.

At the party level, The Herald has it that the NDC has not gone to sleep in the face of this threat to disorganize it. Several meetings have been held, so far, to address the impending threat to the party.

It was at one of these meetings last week that two letters from Nana Konadu Agyemang-Rawlings were discussed.

One of the letters, signed by Konadu Agyemang-Rawlings’ lawyer, threatened to drag the NDC to court if the regional voting system is adopted at the Congress. The system is to allocate each region with a ballot box to vote.

The threat from Mr. Rawlings led to the National Executives resorting to a headcount on whether or not the regional rating method should be adopted. Mrs. Rawlings’ position collapsed after the headcount.

The Herald further gathered that even the Vice-President, John Mahama, has been in and out of Sunyani these few days, in order to make sure that the Congress is held in a peaceful manner.