Election 2016: Mahama and NDC Opposition Bound?

Managing Editor of Insight Newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr’s observation that some functionaries of the ruling National Democratic Congress are behaving “as if they miss opposition and appeared to be doing everything possible to make that a reality” may not be far from the truth.

Barely nine months to the crucial November 7 general elections, The aL-hAJJ can authoritatively report that the prime focus of some among the leadership of the governing NDC is not how to retain power but who calls the shots in the affairs of the party.

Weeks of investigation into the affairs of the party following a tip off, indicates that some national officers of NDC are embroiled in uncompromising war over turf to the detriment of their core responsibilities of working together to assist President John Dramani Mahama achieve his dream of securing a second term.

Although these NDC executives, party insiders disclosed, are not indifferent to a second term of the President, they nevertheless, are fighting each other over who forms the fulcrum around which the party should revolve.

Intelligence report gathered by this paper indicates that the National Chairman, Kofi Portuphy is still uncertain of party General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketsiah’s loyalty and confidence in him as National Chairman of the party because he is more comfortable dealing with 1st vice chairman, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo.

This, according to insiders, is creating disunity among the National Executives, with Kofi Portuphy said to be in control of a bloc within the leadership whilst John Asiedu Nketsia, also known as General Mosquito; also relying on the support of another faction.

Party insiders privy to the goings-on in the top echelon of the governing party told The aL-hAJJ, the problems in the party which preceded the congress to elect National officers has gone from bad to worse to the extent that some of the national officers are not in talking terms.

National Chairman is reported to be enjoying support from National Organizer, Kofi Adams, the National Women Organizer, Hajia Joyce Zainab and a handful of other executives including two vice chairmen while the General Secretary also has four out of the six vice chairmen, a deputy General Secretary; the National Communication officer, Solomon Nkansah, among others backing him.

The internal wrangling, sources at the party’s headquarters narrated to this paper, has on several occasions impeded Functional Executive meetings called to discuss how to approach the impending elections.

Some leading members of the party fear the current bickering among the National Executives is likely to send the party into opposition despite the Mahama government’s impressive record of transformation being witnessed in all sectors of the economy.

The fear of persons who hold this view is further heightened by how the division in the executives is slowly but surely trickling down to the various organs of the party such that some regional, constituencies, and even branch executives have all taken sides.