NDC breaking up into 4 factions

The Dispatch writes that the main opposition party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), is coming to terms with the fact that the party is informally divided into four factions, as it completes it reorganisation exercise.

The paper reports a source close to the re-organisation Committee as hinting that there were supporters fiercely loyal to what has become informally known as the Fante Confederacy; other groups are loyal to ex-President Jerry Rawlings and the June 4th Movement; the Volta Region group and the Northern caucus of Members of Parliament.

According to the paper, the departure of former Vice-President and the party’s 2002 flagbearer, Prof. John Atta Mills, touted by some party insiders as a unifying force, is likely to worsen matters. The Prof. is, at first instance, going to be away for a year, with the possibility of other offers afterwards in North America on cards.

One thorny issue the four loosely defined groups cannot agree on is the future role of former President Rawlings. Whereas some wanted him to continue to play a frontline role in the party, the others felt there was the need for him to take a backseat. Even on this, there has been disagreement on whether Mr Rawlings, like other leading party members, should speak on behalf of the party on issues.

The Dispatch says this has become thorny because some highly placed members have been quite uncomfortable about some recent utterances of the ex-President.

Another thorny issue the various splinter groups have not come to term with is funding for the re-organisation of the party. Analysts believe that one or two groups maybe better endowed and could dictate how the re-organisation should run.

Top party insiders believe that the NDC faces three main tasks - to avoid the splitting up of the party: getting the re-organisation programme off the ground and how to finance the party.