The simmering tension brewing within the rank and file of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) could soon blow out into bigger proportions if top executives do nothing to address the factionalism and turf war playing out in the party.
An activist of the party, Mr Stephen Atubiga has threatened to organise a demonstration and further lock up the party’s national headquarters if party executives do not “sit up” and iron out their differences.
Mr Atubiga, who narrowly missed jail when he appeared before the Supreme Court judges at the hearing of the election petition over comments he made in defence of his party, told The Finder that the factionalism in the party has reached a tipping end and needs drastic action to save the party from defeat in the 2016 general elections.
“Some of us think the party is bigger than all of us; if they don’t sit up, we will demonstrate against them; we will take a decision against them; we will take a very nasty and radical [decision]…if that’s what we have to take,” he said.
Mr Atubiga narrated that although he knew that all was not well with the party, his latest experience at the party’s headquarters painted a gloomier picture.
“All is not well, but some of us did not know it was that serious that people that come to the party head office to see certain people in the interest of the party are being tagged of belonging to certain groups.”
He narrated that he went to the party office recently to see the party chairman on some issues, but when he did not meet him he decided to pass by the office of some other executives to greet them.
It was there that he was warned by some foot soldiers at the office that he risked being tagged as belonging to a faction if he dared to enter any of the offices of an executive of the party.
“There is a stigma that if you visit Kofi Adams’ office, it means you belong to Kofi Adams, and if you go to Anyidoho it means you belong to his group. It means all is not well so I left the place,” he said.
It appears the turf war between the party’s National Organiser, Mr Kofi Adams, and its General Secretary, Mr Asiedu Nketiah, is fast breaking the party’s front.
Many believe that the history of the feud between the two is strongly linked to the circumstances leading to the suspension of Mr Kofi Adams from the party some time ago by the party’s General Secretary.
Mr Adams was suspended from the party on grounds that he (Kofi Adams) was flirting with the opposition party.
During the recently held Delegates’ Congress of the party, the General Secretary vehemently opposed Mr Adams’ election into any executive office, on grounds that he could not vouch the loyalty of Mr Adams as an executive member of the party.
Mr Adams was given an overwhelming endorsement at the congress nonetheless.
The aftermath of the congress has seen an internal wrangling and control of turf within the party, which many say has the tendency of negatively affecting the chances of the party in the upcoming general elections.
Yesterday, a youth wing of the party called ‘Baashaka’ stormed the Ashanti Regional office of the party and locked up the place on grounds that the newly elected officers were not living up to expectation and wanted them out of office.
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