‘Ade Coker destroying NDC’

Ade Coker, Greater Accra Chair of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), in his quest to seeking a reelection of his chairmanship position, has been accused of acting in a manner that is most certain to make his party massively lose votes in the region during the 2016 election.

The NDC Central Regional Secretary, Bernard Allotey Jacobs and Daniel Amartey, former Municipal Chief Executive for LEKMA, are the latest to add their voices to growing complaints against Ade Coker, asking him to put the party’s interests ahead of his personal interests.

Currently, there are nine pending court cases against the Greater Accra branch of the party and agitations in several constituencies over what some party members have described as ‘wrongful disqualification’ of candidates for constituency elections.

“What we are seeing is that people want to continue to stay in power, and they would find all means to circumvent the guidelines and make sure they stay in power… I would blame Ade Coker and his regional executives, and I must be very frank about this,” Allotey Jacobs noted.

“What is happening in Greater Accra NDC, if care is not taken, we are destroying our chances for 2016. One of the guidelines which says you (constituency candidates) must be a branch executive before you can contest elections can be interrogated. But, I also do not think it is a matter that needs to be taken to court. People can meet the national executive or the General Secretary to brood over it,” Allotey Jacobs explained further on Peace FM ‘Kokrokoo’ morning show.

Speaking to DAILY GUIDE over the same issue, Daniel Amartey said, “This is negative history in the making which has never happened in the history of Greater Accra NDC that as many as nine court cases would be filed against our own party by aggrieved party members. It only means our people have lost trust and respect for the leaders in the region and once you have such things happening, it becomes difficult to bring all hands on deck to win.

“We cannot have a regional chairman who has never stepped foot in some of the constituencies. We are dealing with humans, and they want to feel recognised and appreciated. How do we manage the constituencies and empower them to open more branches and wards when we do not even go to them for talks and visits?” Mr Amartey, a contender for the Greater Accra chairmanship slot, asked rhetorically.

When asked about the decision to disqualify constituency candidates who have not held leadership positions at the branch level, Daniel Amartey said the NDC constitution does not contain any such rules.

“There is nowhere in the NDC constitution that supports that decision taken by the region. And I must add that we must put the interest of the NDC ahead of our personal interests. Failure to do that is what is causing all these agitations, polarisation and dress rehearsals for losing votes,” he added.

In response, Ade Coker, instead of addressing the concerns raised, accused Daniel Amartey of being an ingrate.

“Times have changed and people who are not supposed to maltreat you will maltreat you,” Ade Coker told Unique FM and said he had helped people like Daniel Amartey to become Municipal Chief Executives.

“After my master’s degree, I started life at the age of 24 and built my first house at age of 25. I am a businessman and acquired my properties before NDC came into power in 1992,” Ade Coker added.