Cracks in Bole Bamboi NDC

The question of who succeeds John Dramani Mahama, National Democratic Congress MP for Bole Bamboi constituency should he be made a running mate of to Prof. Evans Atta Mills, has already created cracks and factionalism in the NDC in the constituency.

According to the Daily Guide, two brothers are seriously working underground to pick up the mantle of the outspoken parliamentarian on the party's ticket. The apparent inclusion of one of them and a defector from the NPP has however raised eye-brows among some party youth who are peeved and ready to drop bombshells.

According to the paper, one of the contenders is one Akati Saaka who contested the NPP primaries in 2004 and lost to Mr. Adams Achrensu, an ex-DCE by a single-vote and went on to contest as an independent candidate.

“The timely intervention of the National Executives of the NPP, however, made him rescind his decision as they lobbied him out. It was further gathered that after the 2004 elections, he stopped showing interest in party activities. It was also alleged that he took back the items he gave to party loyalists for the campaign soon after the primaries.

“It is further alleged that he did not follow the constitution of the NDC by publicly announcing his defection before joining the party. It was unraveled during the investigations that he had visited Bamboi, Banda Nkwanta, Mankoma and Sonyno; areas believed to be the strongholds and treasuries of the NDC, announcing his interest to succeed John Mahama should he not contest again. He told them he was the right candidate to face any person the NPP might put up.”

This, however, did not go down well with another group believed to be loyal to Mr. Sampson Seidu, a civil servant with the Ghana Education Service who has also shown interest. The group says Mr. Akati has not been officially accepted into the party and therefore could not be allowed to contest.

According to the paper, they have therefore petitioned the regional executives of the party to stop him from further pursuing his agenda which they say, would undermine the Constitution of the party. They appealed to the executives to subject him to scrutiny before he is even accepted into the party.

When Daily Guide contacted the 1st Vice Chairman of the party, Alhaji Abdulai Adam, he immediately admitted that there was wrangling between the two contenders. He asserted that the ongoing rancour showed the practice of democracy in the party. He debunked the assertion that Mr. Saaka was new in the party as perceived by a section of the party.