The National Democratic Congress (NDC) is experiencing a wide split right down the middle following the decision to elevate some leaders and downgrade others in the party’s leadership in parliament.
Most worryingly, the split has assumed regional and tribal focus, with some regions celebrating whilst others curse the leadership of the NDC for the latest decision.
For instance, the leadership of the opposition NDC in the Volta Region has congratulated Mr. Governs Kwame Agbodza, Member of Parliament for Adaklu Constituency, on his elevation to the position of Minority Chief Whip.
“The Chairman and the entire National Democratic Congress of the Volta Region are proud of you, on your elevation to the position of the Minority Chief-Whip of the NDC Group in Parliament.”
This was contained in a release signed by Mr. James Gunu, the Volta Regional Secretary of the party after news of changes in the leadership of the NDC in Parliament emerged.
“Congratulations and may the good Lord order your steps as you occupy that enviable position in Parliament. Your elevation goes to show the contributions of the Volta NDC to the cause of the larger NDC party in Ghana, and your contribution as the Ranking Member for the Roads and Transport Committee over the years,” the statement read.
The party in the Region also assured Mr. Agbodza of their support to excel as they prepare to move into what they stated ‘a crucial election’ in 2024.”
The party further extended a congratulatory message to the entire team led by Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson as the new Minority Leader.
The position in the Volta Region is contrary to the position at Asawase in the Ashanti region, where the police had to forcibly maintain order in the case of angry supporters of Alhaji Muntaka Mohammed, who has been stripped of his post to the benefit of Agbodza. Indeed armed policemen had to be deployed to maintain law and order at Asawase after supporters of the Member of Parliament (MP) for the constituency, Alhaji Muntaka Mohammed, took to the streets to protest his removal as the Minority Chief Whip in Parliament.
Scores of supporters of the MP, clad in red, mounted roadblocks and burnt lorry tires and forcibly locked the party office.
This was after a press conference by the constituency leadership of the Party, which was addressed by Mr. Mugis Mahdi, the constituency Secretary.
Mr. Muntaka has been changed as the minority chief whip following a reshuffle by the national leadership of the party.
His place was taken by Mr. Kwame Governs Agbodza, the MP for Adaklu.
Mr. Mahdi, addressing the press conference, described the action by the national leadership of the party as “undemocratic and lacks proper consultation”.
He said the decision was “against the rule of justice and biased to northerners in the party.”
Mr. Mahdi explained that northerners and zongos, had been the “basket of votes for the party for a long time and they see no reason their icons should be changed.”
He said Mr. Muntaka and Mr. Haruna Iddrisu played tactical roles for the party in Parliament and the members were worried that the changes, if even necessary, should have been delayed until the election of a flag-bearer for the party.
The Ashanti regional chairman of the party, Nana Akwasi Andrews, who addressed the protesters, asked them not to take the law into their hands, but to exercise restraint while the party leadership worked to resolve the issues.
In a strikingly similar play on roles, the Central region NDC is agog with the elevation of Cassiel Ato Forson, whilst the Northern region NDC is up in arms.
Indeed so joyous is the NDC in the Central region that the Leadership of the party in the Central Region has congratulated Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam, on his elevation as the minority leader in Parliament.
According to the party, Dr. Forson’s elevation offered a sufficient demonstration of his diligence and commitment to the course of the party in Parliament and Ghana in general.
The party replaced the current Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, with the Ranking Member on the Finance Committee, Dr. Forson.
However, whilst the Central region is jubilating for Cassiel Ato Forson, the Northern region NDC is aghast.
Some National Democratic Congress (NDC) youth Tuesday afternoon thronged the Tamale Party office at Lamashegu to register their displeasure over the replacement of Mr. Haruna Iddrisu, the MP for Tamale South, as the Minority Leader in Parliament.
Many of the youth said the decision was not in the interest of the party and called on the National Executive to reverse it.
Meanwhile, a group calling itself Concerned Dagbon Youth issued a statement saying the decision was ill-conceived.
Signed by Mr. Alhassan M. Alhassan, the President of Concerned Dagbon Youth, and copied to the media in Tamale, the statement said the decision would harm the NDC.
“Mr. Haruna Iddrisu represents hope for this group as well as our proud tradition and culture, and we will resist any attempt to derail him,” it said, adding; “We cannot remain silent while Mr. Iddrisu is mistreated….”
The statement demanded from the NDC Leadership an explanation of the decision taken.
The NDC, in a letter to the Speaker of Parliament, dated January 23, 2023, said it had made changes to the Leadership of the Minority Caucus in Parliament, replacing Mr. Iddrisu with Dr. Ato Forson, as the Minority Leader among other changes.
On 23rd January, Mr. Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, General Secretary of the NDC issued a statement and copied to Mr. Alban Sumana Bagbin, Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament, that the National Leadership of the NDC had made some changes in its parliamentary leadership.
The new Parliamentary Leadership includes Mr. Kofi Amah-Buah, Deputy Minority Leader, Mr. Ahmed Ibrahim, First Deputy Whip, and Mrs. Comfort Doyo Gbansah as Second Deputy Whip.
The party also named Mr. Kwame Agbodza, the MP for Adaklu, as the Minority Whip, to replace Mr. Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka.
However, the party’s leadership retained the positions of the incumbent First Deputy Minority Whip, Ahmed Ibrahim who is the MP for Banda, and the Second Deputy Whip and MP for Ada, Comfort Doyoe Cudjoe-Ghansah.
