Ministers greedy & lazy – Azorka charges

The aggressive Northern Regional Chairman of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), Chief Sorfo Azorka has descended heavily on some influential members of the party, including ministers of state, for masterminding the NDC’s loss of 10 parliamentary seats in the Northern region in the 2012 general elections.

He warned that the NDC would lose more parliamentary seats in 2016 if stringent measures are not taken to deal with these “saboteurs and self-seeking individuals”, who are occupying ministerial and Chief Executive positions in the region.

The Outspoken Chairman said with deep sorrow that these self-seeking individuals, who he also described as “lazy but greedy”, are always craving to amass wealth or enjoy the best out of the party, but are lacking the will power to work for the NDC at the grassroots.

Speaking in an interview with a section of the media in Tamale, after his vetting by the national executives of the party, Chief Azorka, who is seeking for his retention as Regional NDC Chairman, stated emphatically that it was the inefficiencies, lack of commitment and the open sabotage by some District Chief Executives, Regional Ministers and defeated parliamentary candidates that led to the loss of 10 parliamentary seats in the 2012 election.

“In 2012 the New Patriotic Party did not present any better campaign message that could warrant them those 10 seats in our stronghold. But it was because some of our Ministers and DCEs refused to support or campaign for the party and decided to sit in the comfort of their air-conditioned offices.

“I can also tell you that some of the DCEs who supported certain parliamentary aspirants and were defeated in the party’s primaries secretly joined forces with those defeated aspirants to campaign against NDC candidates, and that was why we lost those 10 seats in Northern Region”.

According to him, elections are won at the grassroots but not in air-condition offices and, therefore, cautioned those “lazy but greedy” individuals to change their behavior and work for the NDC to retain power in 2016.

Chief Azorka stated with a loud voice that: “It is gobbledygook for those Ministers and DCEs to go and sit in their offices and enjoy air-condition when the foot soldiers are busily campaigning for the party”.

Saying, “If you want a position or you want to retain your position, you must first of all make sure the NDC is retained in power”.

He warned them to beware that: “You cannot sit on top of a tree and decide to cut the stem of the same tree”, meaning they cannot sabotage the party and expect the same party to win elections.

Meanwhile, Chief Sorfo Azorka, who commands a lot of support from majority of the NDC youth in the Northern Region went through a successful vetting with five other contestants for the chairmanship.

According to him, he is the choice of the masses within the NDC and pledged to defeat his opponents convincingly.

The other contestants for the chairmanship are Alhaji Ibrahim Libron (Former Regional Youth Organiser); Alhassan Ibrahim Boham (Owner of the popular Alhassan Hotel); Alhaji Ibrahim Mobila (God father of Haruna Iddrisu, MP for Tamale South); Alhaji Mohammed Zakari (Son of the Late Regional Chairman, Alhaji Sumani Zakari) and one Alhaji Alhassan Kpenaa.

Chief Azorka promised that in an unlikely event that he does not get the nod to lead the NDC in the region, he would commit all his time, energy and resources to support the winner and campaign vigorously for the party. He, therefore, challenged his opponents to learn to do same, in case they lose to him.