NDCUSA Congress and Matters Arising – Part II

From Part I: The chairman of the NDCUSA Professor Agyenim Boateng abandoned the organization to contest the Dorma Central seat for parliament which he lost to the NPP. After losing he stayed on in Ghana seeking “greener pastures” (ministerial appointment).

The prolonged absence of Kwame Agyenim Boateng created a power vacuum and hence the inevitable power struggled that ensured between the first Vice Chairman Prince Agyemang and the Secretary Osbourne Sam for the control of the chapter. Agyenim Boateng because of his maladministration and gross lack of leadership, lost the faith of his member branches (don’t forget a Vote of No Confidence was passed in him by 8 of the 12 branches but was allegedly vetoed by Hon Kofi Attor) and hence knowing that he cannot win the chairmanship, decided not to contest again. A grand scheme was therefore allegedly hatched by the deposed chairman, Agyenim Boateng and his cronies to retain his cronies in power. At the congress in Worcester

The congress was opened by the Mayor of Worcester, Joseph M. Petty, at 11:00 AM but unfortunately without any representative of the NDC party from Ghana. Luckily Her Excellency Edith Hazel, Ghana’s Deputy Ambassador to the United States was able to make it as the only invited guest. Also present was Hon Gershon Gbediame, fmr Majority Chief Whip and the MP for Nkwanta south, who was on a private visit to the area and decided to grace the occasion. From some of the executives I interviewed, the NDC HQ decided to boycott the congress because they see NDCUSA as an inefficient organization that is not contributing anything to the development of the party and hence not worth the time, so they decided not to honor their invitation.

The first part of the congress was relatively smooth but not without incident. HE Edith Hazel used her address to lambast Prof Agyenim Boateng for his lack of leadership and for abandoning the chapter to go to Ghana for more than a year. She said even though he was embarking on an honorable cause, it was inappropriate for him to hold on the chairman position which created a power vacuum with its associated power struggle. She did not minced words at all and made it categorically clear to Prof Kwame Agyenim Boateng that she would have told the members not to vote for him if he were to be contesting again. She therefore advised members seeking positions to stay put and work to grow the organization here in the US to be a formidable one and a force to reckon with but not to use the post as a stepping stone for seeking appointments back in Ghana as was demonstrated by Prof. Agyenim Boateng.

The second part was as rough as a cob! HE Edith Hazel and Hon Gershon Gbediame were cunningly whisked away under the guise of taking them for lunch and there and then the Machiavellian tactics moved into full swing! The deposed chairman Prof Agyenim Boateng first introduced the amended by-laws and moved a motion to adopt it. The chairman of Denver branch raised an objection and before he could make his point, a member of New York branch seconded Agyenim Boateng’ s motion and the bylaws was passed, without a vote on it as required by the NACC bylaws: These bylaws may be altered, amended, or repealed and new bylaws may be adopted by 66.6% majority of the council members present at any regular meeting or at any special meeting, if at least 30 days’ written notice is given of the intention to alter, amend, or repeal or to adopt new bylaws at such meeting or vote of the members at any regular or special meeting as the case may be. -Article 12 of the NACC-NDC bylaws.

No votes were cast and 8 of the 12 branches namely: Colorado (Denver), Florida, Ohio, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Georgia (Atlanta), Illinois (Chicago) and Maryland were against the adoption vs. 4 (DC Metro, New Jersey, New York and Massachusetts) who were for. The motion passed against the will of the majority branches and without votes (an obvious illegal act in a dictatorial manner). The illegal passing of the bylaws paved way for the Agyenim Boateng-Osborne gang (Gang of 4) and their crooks to move to the next stage of their illegal acts: the acceptance of the 9 so-called new branches and also against the will of the majority (8) of the member branches.

The chairman of Denver Mr. Cornelius Ackummey again raised an objection and outlines his facts for the objection, using the case of North Virginia branch to buttress his point and was seconded by the Chairman of Ohio Mr. Erzuah Kudjo. Instead of listening and debating the issues raised, Agyenim Boateng started threatening and to follow-up with his threats called in the Worcester police in other to intimidate other branches from raising further opposition to his machination. At this point he (Agyenim Boateng) instructed the police to remove all known journalist from the congress grounds. Thank God I was not identified as a journalist so I stayed put. My colleagues were then dragged out of the conference room by the police and the new branches were accepted without any further opposition.

The so-called new branches are:

1. Dallas (Texas) represented by Mrs. Janet Wilson and the son (allegedly the only members of that branch).

2. Houston (Texas) represented by Noble Fio Alexander

3. California (Los Angeles) represented by Noble Fio Alexander (yes Noble Fio Alexander of Houston (TX) because he was voting for California and when questioned he said the guy stepped out and has asked him to vote for him). So Mr. Noble alone has 6 votes as against 3 votes for established branches like New York branch and this is the person elected as a Treasurer to keep the chapter’s money.

4. Connecticut

5. Tennessee (Nashville)

6. Minnesota

7. Delaware

8. Rhode Island

9. North Virginia (which is alleged to be directly opposite where NDCVirginia Branch holds their monthly meetings).

It is alleged that the people representing some of these branches in fact are friends and cronies of the “Gang 4” who do not reside in the said states at all and even those who live in the states are just one man branches formed just for the election (I could not verify these allegations since the “gang of 4” were tight-lipped and not ready to comment on issues). The few comments I got from the “gang of 4” was that the anti-faction is making noise because they lost the election. But my investigations revealed that these 8 branches have been concerned about the direction of the chapter long before the congress and their complaints have nothing to do with positions or losing elections. In fact Ahlidzah of Florida, Erzuah Kudjo of Ohio, Daniel Dotse of Virginia, Paul Sogo of Illinois, Arvo of Pennsylvania, Bismark Sarfo of Atlanta and Cornelius Ackummey of Colorado who have been vocal and concerned about the direction of the chapter since Agyenim Boateng took over two years ago have not even contested for any position at the Worcester congress. One would therefore ask where comes the sour losers? Only the chairman of Maryland, Divine Mantse, contested but gave up when there was the need to go for second round after a tie. Her Excellency and the Hon MP were later brought in to swear in the purported winners after the machinations. The gang of 4 ensured all those individuals who contested without aligning themselves with them lost the elections and hence swept all the 19 positions being contested (some illegal since they were contained in the new bylaws that was illegally passed).

It is alleged that what happened at the Worcester Congress is a microcosm of the macrocosm (the bigger fight or struggle for control) brewing in the NDC party ahead of the December National Congress and Agyenim Boateng was just an agent of the anti-Mahama faction Party.

Prof Agyenim Boateng, who is alleged to be a United States citizen, has since departed the US for Ghana to continue his quest for a ministerial or an ambassadorial position.

This is my story and it is based my own observations and interviews of those who were willing to chat with me.

By Asamoah K. Adu aka Sincerely Yours (Freelance Journalist and a Political Reporter)