All is set for what political watchers say is the mother of all internal party elections under Ghana’s fourth Republic as delegates of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) converge at the Accra Sports tomorrow to elect their national executives.
Billed to be a straight fight between two party bigwigs, Mr. Ofosu-Ampofo, the former Branch chairman of the party who has risen through the ranks to become the National Chairman is coming face to face with Mr. Asiedu Nketiah, who had served as Chief Scribe of the NDC since 2005.
The two ‘friends-turned-enemies’ have had bitter campaign exchanges with each camp accusing the other of being responsible for the party’s defeat in the 2020 general elections
Under the theme Rallying for Victory 2024 Ghana’s Hope, tomorrow’s congress will determine who chairs the party which is on the brink of a split as the two friends turned foes are confronting one another on issues that should have been dealt with behind close-doors
In November 2018, Mr. Samuel Ofosu Ampofo was elected the National Chairman of the NDC at the 9th delegate congress held at the Trade Fair Centre in Accra for his long service, loyalty, and dedication to the NDC.
Under the chairmanship of Ofosu Ampofo, the party saw an improved performance in its fortune in the 2020 general election with its presidential candidate, John Mahama, obtaining over 6.3 million valid votes cast as against the 4.8 million votes obtained in 2016
The party also saw an increase in parliamentary seats from 106 to 137 and annexed the Speaker of Parliament position for the party.
Analysts are of the view that given the steady progress the party is making under the chairmanship of Ofosu Ampofo , it will be politically prudent for delegates to re-elect him to chair the 2024 election activities of the party.
A member of parliament from the Western North Region speaking to this paper on condition of anonymity said the party doesn’t need a ‘hardliner to compete with John Mahama’ over ‘any status’ ahead of the 2024 election adding that with Ampofo calm is guaranteed
Ofosu Ampofo’s political career started when he was appointed District Chief Executive by late former President Jerry John Rawlings in 1994 and later elected Member of Parliament for Fanteakwa North Constituency in the Eastern Region from 1996 to 2004. He was elected National Organiser of the NDC at the party’s acrimonious congress in Koforidua in 2005 and worked hard for the party’s victory in the 2008 general elections.
He became the Eastern Regional Minister at the beginning of late President J.E.A. Mills NDC government in 2009 and was later appointed as the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development in January 2011.
Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketiah was elected in December 2005 to become the third General Secretary of the NDC,a position he held until his decision to become National Chairman in tomorrow’s delegates’ congress .
Under his leadership rose a re-invigorated NDC ready to match the NPP boot for boot in what was termed as the “Mother of all Elections” in 2008.
The result of the election was that Prof. Evans Atta Mills of the NDC won it under the leadership of the Asiedu Nketia team.
The delegates at the National Congress of the party held in Tamale in January 2010 against rewarded him to continue with the better Ghana Agenda of the ruling NDC.
He helped the NDC win the 2012 election and was again re-elected in the 2018 congress making him the longest-serving party general secretary in Ghana.
He testified on behalf of the NDC in both the 2013 and 2021 election petition when the ruling NPP challenged the outcome of the 2012 presidential election result and 2020 when the NDC challenged the result of the result. He is seen as a hardliner and someone who cannot be taken for granted on matters of the elections.
His wealth of experience on election-related issues is unmatched and understands the political dynamics of the country.
He is resting on his laurels to snatch the seat from the man he was recently heard in a leaked audio tape as contributing to the party’s electoral woes.
His undoing might be the leaked tape that has gone viral over the last few days or the fact that he has been in the party headquarters for too long and time for him to go
In that audio, he was heard saying things about the party’s decision to challenge the election result in court though they had no evidence to back that move. A total of 10,936 delegates from 275 Constituencies are expected to participate in all the activities including the election of national party executives all to be supervised by the Electoral Commission at the Accra Sports Stadium
By Yaw Obeng Manu