Monday, 19 November 2018

NDC NATIONAL DELEGATES CONGRESS IN RETROSPECT - The Talking Points


By Iddi Muhayu-Deen
Over the weekend, the NDC, as we all know, held its 9th National Annual Delegates Congress which came off at the Trade Fair Centre, Accra. Of course, the Congress had a lot of talking points ranging from the outright rejection of Volta (the most loyal region of the party), to the triple-track system, to the election of “babies with sharp teeth”, to the manifestation of gross incompetence, to mafia tactics against their own etc. Come with me fellow political watchers, and let’s get talking about the various talking points therein.  
The Volta Coup
If you ever doubted that the NDC, in this John Mahama era, does not regard the Volta Region, then I’m sure after this Congress, all your doubts were cleared. Despite the fact that the Volta Region is the single most loyal region to the electoral fortunes of the NDC, the Region, when it comes to recognition, receives the least attention from the party. It is not surprising that not a single voltarian was elected to occupy any of the frontline executive positions in the party. All the candidates from the Volta Region who were hoping to get the blessing of the party’s delegates for the positions of National Chairman, General Secretary, National Organiser and Communications Officer, were let down. 

As we have heard from some of them including Fred Agbenyo and Anita Desoso, they are very bitter and have proceeded to suggest that the NDC has been ungrateful and that, the party, had given Volta a raw deal. I dare say, the situation is even worse whenever the NDC is in government because they completely neglect the Volta Region. Simply put, the NDC has consistently reduced the relevance of the Volta Region to what I call, “Voter Region” where they only go to fetch massive votes when they need same and nothing more. 

The “Sharp Teeth” Analysis
One clear outcome of the Congress is the election of “babies with sharp teeth” as they are known in our political parlance. It is obvious that the NDC continues to celebrate their members with acidic tongues who can insult and spew much vitriol on their political opponents in the loudest of voice. As far as the NDC is concerned, the sharper your teeth, the more likely you can win internal elections in the party. 
Anyway, congratulations to Peter Otukunu, Sammy Gyamfi, Godwin Ako Gunn of the notorious montie trio, Joshua Akamba, Hannah Louisa Bisiw, Kwaku Boahen and the others. We, in the NPP, are ever ready for you guys if you want us to play ball. However, we will never fire the first shot, but, we won’t sit unconcerned when provoked especially if you begin visiting your usual unsolicited vituperations on our political leaders. That, I can assure you, will not happen. After all, no one has monopoly over abrasive effusions.

The Clear Mafia Works Against Kojo Adu Asare 
Honestly speaking, I do not know what Kojo Adu Asare is still doing in the NDC. Hasn’t the party mafia him enough? Interestingly, he is one of their finest communicators speaking for the party on radio and tv on daily basis. But what does he get in return? Mafia here, mafia there, mafia everywhere he goes. They began by “mafiaring” him at their parliamentary primaries. He came to contest for a position at the International Olympic Committee, they followed him there and mafia him. They again mafia him at the GFA Committee for Brazil 2014. 

Last four years, at the party delegates Congress, Kojo Adu Asare contested for the Deputy General Secretary position of the party, they mafia him leading to his 7-vote loss. He continued to serve the party as if nothing had happened. He comes back, this year, to contest for the same position, and upon sensing that he was likely going to win, the party leadership deliberately ensured that his name didn’t appear on the ballot paper as well as on the collation sheet. Such a mafia work! How can you be this machiavellian and wicked to your own? Kojo Adu Asare [or should I say Justice Yeboah] should simply advise himself. The NDC doesn’t just need him. Simplicita!

The Triple-Track System 
To the dismay of all, a Congress that is supposed to last for just a day had gone not only into a 2nd day but a 3rd causing so much inconvenience to everybody at the Congress ground including their own supporters, observers and the media whose personnel had to spend 2 sleepless nights covering the Congress and at great cost to the media houses. Incompetence would not make them learn properly from the NPP which successfully held its 2018 National Delegates Conference in Koforidua without such issues. Incompetence would not tell them that they could not accommodate over 9,000 people at the Fantasy Dome of the Trade Fair.

Incompetence would not tell them that they needed more than 5 polling centres for the Congress. Incompetence would not tell them that they needed an open space with canopies to hold such a Congress. As it is turning out, they are not only incompetent in government, but they are, perhaps, even more incompetent in opposition. Well, you shouldn’t expect anything to be well organized by a political party that eats and drinks incompetence. Anyway, “congratulations” to the party delegates for receiving not less than GHc7,000 each to vote for the various candidates. Ghanaians certainly deserve better.

Assalamu alaik

Iddi Muhayu-Deen

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