Spio Garbrah Storms Ashanti With A Bang

The defeated Presidential aspirant of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), Dr. Ekwow Spio Garbrah last Thursday set the tone for what could possibly be a nerve cracking contest for positions in the ruling party, when he arrived in the Ashanti Region capital to a heroic welcome by party functions. The �renegade� leading member of the party confirmed his future political intentions, few weeks after generating furor within the ruling party over his scathing attack on the efficiency of government Ministers, when he unexpectedly zoomed into enemy�s territory, where he was reported to have held series of meetings with party cadres and other functionaries to garner support for his vice chairmanship ambition in the party. A deep throat source close to the controversial NDC free thinker confirmed to The Chronicle newspaper that Dr. Spio Garbrah arrived in the Garden City and was lodging at the plush Sweet Lodge Hotel at Atasemanso, from where he held secret but strategic meetings with some hard-line party supporters as he begins preparation towards his ambition to occupy a position in the National echelon of the ruling party. Dr. Spio Garbrah, according to one of his Spokesperson, preferred his visit to be a low profile one, but seized the opportunity to pay courtesy calls on some government officials including the Deputy Ashanti Regional Minister, Mrs. Anima Wilson at the Regional Coordinating Council. The Chief Executive Officer of the Commonwealth Telecommunication Organisation (CTO) also visited the Obuasi constituency and met with the executive body of the Tertiary Education Institutional Network of the NDC (TEIN) in the various tertiary institutions in the Metropolis. Dr. Spio Garbrah, who recently received bashings from some top ranking members of the ruling party, following some comments made in an article published in the Daily Graphic which sought to ridicule and cast a slur on the competency of the current crop of Ministers in the government, told party supporters at the various meetings held in the region that he bore no grudge against any member of the party and that his comments were only taken out of context. Justifying his scathing comments, Dr. Spio Garbrah said he believed the NDC was a true democratic party and that it was very important that individuals are allowed to express their varied opinions without being victimized or blacklisted. Dr. Spio Garbrah, who was bombarded with a lot of questions ranging from his controversial comments to his future political ambition during an open discussion with the TEIN executives from the University of Education, the Kwame University of Education, the Kwame University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Wesley College and the Kwadaso Agric College, said his article was not meant to make mockery of any party member, nor describe the Ministers as incompetent, and accused some elements in the opposition New Patriotic Party of teaming up with the media just to exaggerate what he said. Touting his antagonist, Mr. Ato Ahwoi, in the said verbal brawl as a mature politician, Dr. Spio Garbrah said he believes the political credence of Mr. Ahwoi was not in doubt, having worked with the leading party member in the erstwhile NDC administration, under former President Rawlings. He also paid glowing tribute to the Chairman and the General Secretary of the party, Dr. Kwabena Adjei and Mr. Asiedu Nketia, describing, the duo as valuable assets to the party. He said the contributions of the two party executives were remarkable and deserved to be commended. Dr. Spio Garbrah, therefore called on the supporters of the party to avoid factionalism and rally behind the government in order to achieve its agenda of building a better Ghana. The leading party member also held a close door meeting with the members of the NDC communication team, some of whom publicly declared their support for his recent actions.