...Ahead of NDC’s national delegates congress

- Yaw Boateng Gyan targeted

As plots by some leading lights in the National Democratic Congress to ‘replace’ hardworking party General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah seem an arduous task, hatchers of the crude plan are devising another method to neutralize his influence and power.

The aL-hAJJ can today confirm that, this development has led to a high level of horse trading within the party to soften the ground for the diabolic agenda, which is also aimed at the possible dislodgement of the party’s National Organizer, Yaw Boateng Gyan, whose continuous stay in office is believed to aid Asiedu Nketsiah’s unbreakable control over the party.

Though the internal coup against the Bui Power Authority Board Chairman does not seem to carry enough weight as it is being orchestrated by political minnows occupying sensitive positions in government, party insiders say it could cause the ruling party the 2016 elections.

Credible information gathered by The aL-hAJJ revealed how series of meetings are been organized, one of which was recently held at the Flagstaff House, to among other things strategize on how to whisk the party from Asiedu Nketsiah’s laps.

A source familiar with the ongoing deliberations among which included powerful persons at the seat of government often described as “latter day saints”, some less-influential national executive members and few legislators of the party, revealed to The aL-hAJJ plans to make Asiedu Nketsiah ‘redundant’ and ‘lonely’ General Secretary should he contest and retain his post after congress.

To perfect the strategy, a meeting was said to have been held recently in the offices of a ‘big’ man at the seat of government aimed at concluding killer tactics to take over the party and bring it under governmental control.

At the meeting purposely organized by the said big man, a source narrated to this paper how the conspirators agreed that there was no way any candidate could ditch the AsieduNkestia at congress, hence all efforts must be made to get a formidable candidate to snatch the national organizer post from his ‘close pal’Yaw Boateng Gyan. It was agreed at the meeting that since most of the current executives aside the national chairman, national organizer and some deputies are part of the plot it, would be reasonable to get a candidate amongst them to dislodge Mr Yaw Boateng Gyan, who is believed to be a strong ally of Asiedu Nketsiah.

As the whole plot was geared towards reducing Asiedu Nketsia’s growing influence, it was concluded that the presidency will sponsor candidates to contest all positions except that of General Secretary and National Chairman.

The reason is that among candidates scheming to contest the National Chairman posts, the NADMO National Coordinator and vice Chairman of the party, Mr Kofi Portuphy stands the chance of been elected, hence backing any candidate to challenge him, the ‘team’ believed, would be waste of resources, and the same applies to General Secretary post. In line with the plot, the source said, Chief of Staff Prosper Bani, whose appointment by President Mahama was perhaps the most controversial and which nearly disorganized the NDC, directed that candidates to be sponsored by the presidency should present themselves to delegates as the president Mahama’s anointed ones.

The source alleged that Mr Bani, who has been accused of surrounding himself and nominating persons from his native central Volta for appointments, has managed to bring on board the potential contenders, including some national officers whose identity The aL-hAJJ for now will like to shield.

But, a deputy National Youth Organizer, Mr James Fonu, who is also a native of the Chief of Staff’s hometown, Kpando, according to our findings is reported to have rescinded an earlier decision to contest his boss, Ludwig Akpene Hlordze, and instead, the two will fight to retain their respective posts.

However, deputy General Secretary and spokesperson for the Rawlingses, Mr Kofi Adams, who was tipped by political pundits to take over from the current General Secretary in future, is now contemplating to contest for the national organizer post.

At the women’s wing, the team is said to be torn between incumbent national women organizer, Jemima Anita Desoso and one of her deputies, Hajia Zainab Mahama, who is reported having a grudge with Asiedu Nketsiah because he kicked against moves by the President Mahama to appoint her as minister.

Party insiders say should president Mahama endorse the scheming at the Flagstaff House, he would be doing a great disservice to the memory of his late mentor and boss, President John Evans Atta Mills. “Some of the guys the Flagstaff house intends to sponsor against some of the current executives campaigned vigorously against president Mills. Some of them even vowed they would make him one term president. So if the president should back the move, I would have no doubt in my mind that he worked against his late boss and that would be the highest mark of ingratitude. I know the president to be a wise man so he won’t kowtow to this thing,” a party source familiar with the plot noted.

Meanwhile, Asiedu Nketsiah and Yaw Boateng Gyan are said to have fair knowledge of the serious ‘insurrection’ against them and are also putting together counter strategy to scuttle the plot from the seat of government.