NDC Elections: Does Amissah Arthur have preferred candidates?

The ruling National Democratic Congress is expected to hold its national delegates congress later this year or early next year to elect new crop of national officers to lead it into the next presidential and parliamentary elections and to manage the affairs of the party for the next four years.

As part of measures to restructure the party, the current executives are presently engaged in a nationwide exercise to have biometric data of its members and possibly expand its Electoral College.


The party has also constituted a committee to amend portions of its constitution which is expected to be adopted at an emergency congress to herald the process of electing new officers from the branch through constituency to the national level.


Even before the party settles on the right modalities and procedures for the elections, media reports abound of how the NDC party and the presidency are feverishly preparing to field separate but formidable candidates to slug it out.


From all available indications, aspiring national officers in the impending delegates assembly of the ruling NDC will be represented by two slates; the presidency sponsored candidates and that of the party, with both camps made up of well-to-do party kingpins poised to grab positions to advance the interest of their backers and godfathers.


It is not yet quite clear if the Vice President is with the presidency backed team or the party’s preferred candidates as party insiders say between the two slates, Mr Amissah Arthur hasn’t made is mind as where to belong. However, he is said to have some candidates from both sides he would have wished they are elected to manage the party.


While many thought Vice President Amissah Arthur is part of what constitutes the presidency, and therefore, would be neck deep in any ‘orchestration’ emanating from the seat the government, unconfirmed reports suggest that the former Governor of the Bank of Ghana has his own set of ideas, (we are still digging on that) as to the party kingpins he would have wished they grab top positions.

The aL-hAJJ has unearthed names and positions that have come up for grabs ahead of the yet-to-be scheduled delegates’ congress of the NDC.


Those to contest for the National Chairmanship position include the incumbent; Dr Kwabena Adjei, National Coordinator of the National Disaster Management Organization, Kofi Portuphy and Dan Abodakpi, Ghana’s former Ambassador to Malaysia.


Information gathered by The aL-hAJJ suggests that Dan Abodakpi will only contest if the party uses the biometric data it is current collating. In the absence of the biometric data, the former Ambassador to Malaysia is likely to throw his weight behind the incumbent Chairman to do battle with the NADMO boss who is said to have proven to be the candidate to beat.


The party’s General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketsiah is likely to go unopposed while the deputy General Secretary positions will hotly be contested by Koku Anyidoho, George Lawson and probably Kofi Adams, who is rumored eyeing a deputy ministerial post.


Mr Yaw Boateng Gyan, the incumbent National organizer according to our investigation is likely to move up to contest the vice chairmanship slot or may have to face strong challenge from former MP for Adentan, Adu Asare while the National Womens’ Organizer, Jemima Anita Desoso is expected to see a stiff battle from one of her deputies, Margaret Chiravira and Hajia Mariam Sinare, Board member of MASLOC.


The Youth Organizer position will be contested by the incumbent, Ludwig Akpene Hlordze, his deputy James Fonu Kpatakpa; Upper East Regional Youth Organizer, Mutiu-Rahman Abubakar; former TEIN President, Sidiq Abubakar and former NUGS President, Wonder Madilo.