Supporters of Mr Haruna Iddrisu, Member of Parliament (MP) for Tamale Central, and Alhaji Inusah Fuseini, MP for Tamale South, are employing vicious ways to project their candidate as the one in charge of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Northern Region, thus creating deep-seated factionalism that threatens the chances of the NDC in Election 2016.
District Chief Executives (DCEs), MPs and party executives are also sharply divided along the lines of the two NDC stalwarts.
Investigations conducted by The Finder indicate that while Trade and Industry Minister Haruna Iddrisu is seen as the emerging “Maradona of northern politics,” Roads and Highways Minister Alhaji Fuseini is seen by some players as the “darling boy” of President John Dramani Mahama.
The Finder gathered that the camp of Alhaji Fuseini is alleging that Mr Iddrisu is interfering in matters concerning Tamale Central, an allegation Mr Iddrisu is said to have refuted, explaining that he was born and bred in Tamale Central and still has his relations and long-time friends there whom he visits regularly.
According to our investigations, supporters of the two lawmakers have taken to social media, where they attack the preferred MP of the opposing side.
Some members of the two groups who spoke to The Finder on condition of anonymity said loyalty is measured and rewarded based on the magnitude of insults and reckless comments passed on social media.
Investigations revealed that social gatherings are now deemed very sensitive areas, with most people avoiding political discussions for fear of being recorded or misrepresented to any of the legislators by their informants, who usually pose as sympathisers to infiltrate opposing camps.
Such people embark on espionage missions to spy for their political paymasters in return for contracts or handouts.
The Finder’s investigations have also revealed that the legislators are alleged to be seriously funding the social media warriors by buying sophisticated and expensive communication gadgets for them to outwit their opponents.
Reliable information indicate that those involved in the social media battle receive monthly remittances in addition to juicy contracts to execute; those with tertiary qualifications are also rewarded with juicy government appointments.
The Finder is also reliably informed that some of the persons involved in this act have now resorted to spiritual warfare, even within their own camps, to get the attention of the lawmakers.
The legislators are referred to by funny names in certain cycles. It is common to hear those opposed to Mr Iddrisu refer to him as “Brutus,” “Mr Smart” and “Nalung Mugabe,” which refers to the Mugabe of a suburb in Tamale called Nalungfong, while those opposed to Alhaji Fuseini also referred to him as “Nakoha,” The Butcher, “Fatawu one one” and “Categorical”.
Parliamentarians and party executives within the region are also sharply divided along these lines, which many stakeholders and die-in-the-wool sympathisers of the party think has the potential of negatively affecting the chances of the party in the 2016 elections.
Some of the elders of the party this paper spoke to noted that winning back the seats the party lost to the NPP in the region will very much depend on the unity of the party, especially in the two constituencies of the lawmakers involved.
Alhaji Ibrahim Mobilla, a veteran politician and a respected elder of the party in the region, who contested and lost to the incumbent Regional Chairman, Sofo Azorka, is worried about the situation.
He noted that persons involved in the squabble are unemployed youth who sit idle and are ready to be paid by their political godfathers to damage the hard-earned reputation of respectable people in society.
He, therefore, called on the legislators, together with the party leadership, to strategise on how to create employment for the youth.
This, according to him, would make the youth groups responsible and also unavailable to the politicians who want to use them as instruments of destruction.
On the effect of the unpleasant situation on the chances of the party in the 2016 elections, Alhaji Mobilla was emphatic that it has the potential to erode the gains the party has made in the region.
According to him, the party needs to present a formidable team to face the NPP in the region, saying the present situation puts the party in a politically precarious position.
Frantic efforts to get the Regional Secretary and other executives to speak to the issue proved futile.
However, the Regional Youth Organiser, Alhaji Abio, who spoke to The Finder, condemned the unfortunate situation and called on the executives to liaise with the elders of the party to resolve the situation.
“The executives, together with the council of elders, should sit with the feuding groups to resolve the issue, but if that one fails we can sanction them, by making them not to contest the primaries,” he stated.
According to the Youth Organiser, the issue cannot affect the chances of the party in 2016 election.
Alhaji Abio was emphatic that the divisions are so deep to the extent that executives of Tamale Central do not participate in activities of the Tamale South MP, and the executives of Tamale South do not also attend events of the MP for Tamale Central.
He accused some executives in the two constituencies of being loyal to MPs who are not in their constituencies.
“There is a deep sense of suspicion between the executives of Tamale Central as to who is loyal to Alhaji Inusah or Mr Haruna. And in Tamale South too, there is suspicion that some of the executives are also loyal to Mr Inusah,” Alhaji Abio said.
Meanwhile, Alhaji Ngba-u, a respected opinion leader and local party heavyweight, has also called on the leadership of the party in the region to work towards uniting the legislators, and also advised the legislators to shun the troublemakers.
He challenged all the party members close to the legislators to encourage them to double their efforts in breaking the misery of poverty and unemployment, which are the twin evils plaguing the region.
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