NDC Wants Jake And Sir John Retained At NPP Congress

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Jake Obetsebi Lamptey
Jake Obetsebi Lamptey
Jake Obetsebi Lamptey
Jake Obetsebi Lamptey

When the General?Secretary of National Democratic Congress, Johnson Asiedu Nketsia announced that Nana Akufo-Addo had made 2016 very easy for the ruling party by deciding to contest for president for the third time, little did Ghanaians know NDC Executives have an interest in who get elected to executive positions in the New Patriotic Party.

Ahead of the party?s congress in Tamale this Saturday, and for some inexplicable reasons,?The aL-hAJJ?s?investigation has revealed that NDC executives and supporters prefer incumbent National Chairman of the NPP, Jake Otanka Obetsebi Lamptey and acerbic-tongue General Secretary, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie to be retained in office.

It is believed the ruling party?s support for the two NPP executives who are seen as extremists,??is because they would make their ?work? in 2016 very easy as??the two rubble rousers are considered by many Ghanaian ?floating? voters as sources of tension and??insecurity.

Though rumors abound the duo had received huge sums of monies from gurus in the NDC to prosecute their respective political campaigns ahead of the Saturday, The aL-hAJJ?is unable to confirm the allegation.

Strangely, another group within the ruling NDC is reported relishing Fred Oware as Chairman with Yaw Buaben Asamoa as General Secretary, a source told The aL-hAJJ. This group?s preference for the two, according to the source is borne out of the duo?s softness; a character trait they believed will make them walkovers by the NDC.

The biggest opposition party will on Saturday, April 12, hold its?congress in the Northern regional Capital to elect nine national executives out of the 44 contesting candidates.

Out of the nine positions up for grabs, the positions of National Chairman and General Secretary have become of paramount interest. Incumbent Chairman, Jake Obetsebi Lamptey; first Vice Chairman, Fred Oware; National Council member representing the Upper East region, Paul Afoko and former vice Chairman, Stephen Ntim have all put themselves up for election.

Incumbent General Secretary, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie aka Sir John is battling with Former Presidential Spokesperson, Ing Kwabena Agyepong; onetime General Secretary Aspirant, Lawyer Yaw Buaben Asamoa and former MP for Berekum and former deputy Minister of Local government, Capt. Retired Nkrabea Effah Dartey over who gets the nod.

Political pundits have tipped business magnate and close pal of Kwadwo Okyere Mpiani, former Chief of Staff; Paul Afoko to win the National Chairmanship position. Ing Kwabena Agyepong, who was involved in a fatal accident on Tuesday, has also been tipped to annex the General Secretary slot.

But deputy Minister of Sports and Ashanti Regional Secretary of the ruling party, Joseph Yamin disagreed. According to him Sir John will remain at post in a landslide victory after the Tamale congress.

Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie and Johnson Asiedu Nketia
Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie and Johnson Asiedu Nketia

Sharing his thoughts on the impending and crucial NPP congress on an Accra based radio station; Yamin remarked??Sir John is 100 times better than the other aspirants because his relationship with the grassroots makes him the number one contender. The people at the grassroots have benefitted from Sir John and they will reward him by voting for him in Tamale.?

NDC sources told this paper that part of reasons why the ruling party?s Executives are wishing for a Jake Obetsebi Lamptey and Sir John leadership is to make things easy for them in the 2016 elections.

The source said the executives believe having beaten a Jake and Sir John administration in the 2012 election, going pass them in the 2016 election will be easier if the party?s delegates give them another term in office.

It would be recalled that the NDC?s General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketsia made similar statement when the NPP?s twice defeated presidential candidate few days to his 70th?birthday announced to cheering party supporters at his Nima residence that he was ready to contest the party?s flag bearer for the fourth time (1998 inclusive) when nomination opens later this year.

According to the Asiedu Nketsia the NPP has made the 2016 campaign very easy for them because Nana Akufo-Addo was no threat to the NDC, stating??We know how to beat him [Nana]; we will sharpen our campaign skills and give him a third time defeat.?

?In terms of age and energy to prosecute an effective campaign, we have a huge advantage over him. The NPP would have been better-off electing a younger person to lead the party in 2016,? he stressed.

Source: The Al-Hajj

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