NPP Elects Collapsible Squad

Even though the New Patriotic Party (NPP) undoubtedly elected some of the Party’s most loyal and battle-tested big-wigs to steer the affairs of the party in the run-up to the 2012 elections, their track record in government will make some of the newly-elected executives scandal prone and very vulnerable.

Pundits are already drawing daggers in wait for the newly-elected Chairman, Jake Obetsebi Lamptey, whose conduct as a government appointee sparked serious controversies which later became known as the Mormon scandal during the early days of the Kufuor administration.

In the run up to the last election, his insistence on holding on to a ministerial bungalow even after he quit government as a Minister of State and his underlying attempt to purchase the house at all cost was used against the Party, as their opponents used his case as a springboard to portray the NPP government as practicing “property grabbing democracy”.

Jake Obetsebi Lamptey can’t even speak his native Ga language neither can he speak any Ghanaian language except “Isha Allah” a Hawsa phrase which means by God’s grace. There a rumours within the NPP that sometimes in his presence some party people cast insults on him in local languages but he does not understand.

The next is Alhaji Moctar Musah Bamba, a party workaholic whose ability to excite the ranks of the party is unbeatable. He was elected as National Organizer at last Saturday’s National Delegates conference. Moctar Musa Bamba served as the Deputy Minister for Presidential Affairs at the Office of the President and was involved in a scandal of mountainous proportions compelling the President to remove him from office.

A criminal investigation which was commenced by the Criminal Investigation Department of the Ghana Police Service and the Bureau of Investigations was deliberately curtained and never concluded until the NPP exited office in 2008. Documents from the BNI investigations which is still in the possession of the Enquirer newspaper may bounce to the fore soon.

At the time when Bamba exited government, former President Kufuor said that the departure of Bamba was without prejudice to any investigations underway. There was also an issue regarding a visa scandal involving Moctar Musa Bamba and the Austria government. Details of the visa scandal may also bounce back when the political season begins.

The newly elected general secretary, Mr. Afriyie, popularly called “sir John” has staged what is by all standards a good fight, booting out an incompetent Ohene Ntow to annex the position of General Secretary. Sir John has a huge fan base in Kumasi, the tradition “world Bank” of the NPP. In Kumasi he is affectionately called “lawyer”. He is returnee from London. He is also a popular man with very close ties with Dr. Richard Anane, former Transport Minister. During the troubles of Dr. Anane, the newly elected General Secretary supported him and was one of the hatchet men who attacked the Enquirer’s editor-in-chief on behalf of Dr. Anane.

Sir John worked with the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) but was booted out by the Office of the President following a story which involves former President Kufuor himself. Even though details of the case have never been made public, there are indications that it might cause a huge controversy for the NPP.

Ohene Ntow, John Boadu Booted Out The National Delegates Conference of the largest opposition party in the country, New Patriotic Party (NPP) ended at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium with Jake Otanka Obetsebi Lamptey elected as the Chairman while the incumbent General Secretary, Nana Ohene Ntow was booted out of office for a below par performance during his tenure.

Whilst Mac Manu found common sense to step down as the Chairman of the party after leading the failing team that sent the NPP to opposition, his compatriot, Mr. Ntow refused to learn from this honourable example and shamefully sought for re-election but his defiance was not enough to keep him in power. Mr. Ntow infamously known as “Shito Tse” was heavily trounced to defeat by Mr. Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie a.k.a ‘Sir John’ who polled 2,386 votes as against 918 by Mr. Ntow. In the same General Secretary race, Nkrabea Effah Darteh polled 431, Obeng Busia – 139 and Yaw Buaben Asamoah – 77.

Another member of the failing team who was hounded out of office is John Boadu, the youth organizer whose over-riding ego was punctured by the delegates at the Conference. John Boadu over-ambitiously decided to go for the National Organiser position but was whipped by Mocta Bamba whose ‘fraud’ record during his time as deputy minister for Presidential Affairs, will certainly haunt him and the party in general. Alhaji Moctar Musa Bamba polled 3,428 to win the National Organizer position, John Boadu polled 448 whilst Isaac Eduosar Edumaze got 75 votes.

Further, Jake won the keenly contested National Chairmanship position with 2,030 votes defeating Stephen Ayensu Ntim who had 1,804 votes. Sammy Crabbe, Dr. Charles Wereko-Brobbey and Mr. Felix Owusu Adjepong polled 4,329 and 25 votes respectively n the same. For the position of the vice chairperson, Mr. Fred Oware led the pack with 2,964 votes while Sheikh T. B. Damba polled 1,798 to become the second vice-chairperson with Madam Sophia Horner-Sam becoming the third vice-chairperson with 1,743.

The position of National Treasure was given to the former Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Trade Fair, Ms Esther Dzifa Ofori, who was unopposed. The contest for the Women Organizer position recorded the unexpected when young energetic Otiko Djaba collected 280 of the votes to whip her only contender, Ms Christine Churcher who polled 260 votes.

In the National Youth Organizer race, Mr. Anthony Anyega Karbo secured 273 votes to win the slot as against Mr. Stephen Amoah who went home with 192 votes to place second to Mr. Karbo. Pius Enam Hazdide managed with 145 votes while Michael Kwabena Ampong could not appeal to the delegates and was consoled with 15 votes. With 130 votes, Abubakar Sulemana became the Nasara coordinator. He was followed by Mohammed Aminu Ibrahim who obtained 30 votes with Ibrahim Tanko Maharaja Packing into his electoral basket 47 votes to place third.