Northern NDC Condemns Former Minister

The Northern Regional Secretariat of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has condemned the alleged manoeuvres by the former Northern Regional Minister Alhaji B. A Fuseini to sow seeds of discord among members of the party in the north. It has also accused Alhaji Fuseini of taking advantage of the current crisis in Dagbon to further his personal ambitions. A statement issued in Tamale said the NDC would not have commented on Alhaji Fuseini?s defection ?since he decided personally to join the NDC in 1992, benefit from it immensely for eight years and denounced it after it has lost power?.

?However, the party would not sit down unconcerned after it has obtained credible information about his recent activities aimed at dividing the NDC and destabilising the peace and security of Dagbon by using the Abudu and Andanis tool which to us is most unfortunate,? the statement signed by the acting Chairman of the NDC in the Northern Region, Alhaji Gado Sulemana added.

Alhaji Fuseini served under the NDC Government as the Member of Parliament for Gukpegu/Sabonjida, in 1992 the Northern Regional Minister and a Minister of State. He was later made Ghana?s Ambassador to Libya after losing his parliamentary seat in the 1996 general elections. Since the NDC lost the 2000 elections to the NPP, Alhaji Fuseini has not been active in the activities of the NDC. He finally made his defection to the NPP public about a month ago.

The statement further noted that the activities of Alhaji Fuseini could endanger any efforts by the government and other well-meaning people to achieve total peace in the Dagbon area.

It assured the nation of the NDC?s support for peace and unity in Dagbon since that is the only way there could be development and prosperity in the area. The statement called on the party?s rank and file and all those pursuing peace in Dagbon to strengthen their resolve in this direction and to ignore ? Alhaji Fuseini?s new political philosophy which is nothing but political opportunism.

It has, meanwhile, wished Alhaji Fuseini well in his new political abode but however declared that, ?we are not alarmed in any way because that has been his style to always go with the incumbency but we are assuring him that we shall come back in 2004?. In his reaction, Alhaji Fuseini said that, he would be the last person to use politics or chieftaincy issues to divide Dagbon.

?I am one person, who has always championed the unity of Dagbon and the entire nation as a whole,? he stressed, adding, ? indeed, I particularly worked very hard when I was with the NDC to bring the two families (Abudu and Andani) together?.

He said even though he has been going round the villages to meet the people ? I am only doing this to mobilise support for the NPP which I feel has no strong roots on the grounds?. Alhaji Fuseini said he has never regretted joining the NPP since that is where he belongs to and that, ? I feel very much at home?.

According to him, politics is not a religion but a way of life and that he is not the first person to change a party in the country and mentioned a number of personalities who at one point or the other decided to join parties of their choice. Alhaji Fuseini explained that he was lobbied to join the NDC in 1992 when he was then the Northern Regional Secretary of the Danquah/Busia Club to help in the nation?s development.

He said some NDC functionaries never tolerated him when he was with them because ? they felt I was an outsider who had come to hijack the party from them?. Alhaji Fuseini said that it is for this and other reasons that he decided to rejoin his mother party where he is most welcome.

On the alleged threats by some youth groups to attack him for his alleged activities of dividing the NDC in Dagbon on chieftaincy lines, he said, ? I am not afraid because the law courts are there to take its course?.