Race for chairmanship; NADMO boss leads NDC

Preparations are underway for the National Delegates’ Congress that would elect the next batch of leaders for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), and reports from across the country suggest there is a clarion call on current National Vice-chair, Kofi Portuphy, to take up the leadership of the party.

Mr Portuphy, the National coordinator of the National Disaster Management organisation (NADMO), is reported to have warmed his way into the hearts of the party by his long service and even earned the accolade “available chairman” when he served as the Greater Accra Chair of the party.

The congress is scheduled for this December, and other names that have been mentioned as also having an interest in the chairmanship job include former Local Government Minister Samuel Ofosu Ampofo and national vice chairman Alhaji Huudu Yahaya.

Dr Kwabena Adjei aka Wayo-Wayo is on record to have told his party just two years ago that he is no longer interested in renewing his mandate but would rather step aside for Kofi Portuphy. However, he is reported to have started a subtle but rather strategic campaign for the position including manoeuvrings and machinations against all other potential candidates. There is, however, a growing call from party members both big and small alike on the national chairman to step down for someone who is actually committed to the development of the party as well as the wellbeing of its members to take over.

Speaking to some NDC parliamentarians, regional executives and DCE's about the impending national delegates congress, they said Dr Kwabena Adjei has failed the party and should rather bow out gracefully than be voted out disgracefully.

Dr. Adjei’s critics have accused him of being selfish and greedy and a leader who care less about the welfare of his members. This may be an explanation why several party members or workers at the headquarters prefer to talk to other vice chairpersons about their problems rather than approach ‘Wayo-Wayo’

A member of parliament from the central region insists Dr Kwabena Adjei has failed to ‘break the impression of being privileged and out of touch’ and this has angered a lot of people especially the footsoldiers who stood with him in the beginning.

Some regional executives have also hit hard at their national chairman’s attitude towards party work, and accuse him of showing interests in what he and his family are getting whiles party members live in poverty. They said the party has been left in the hands of General Mosquito and national organiser Yaw Boateng Gyan.

The fact is that if we want to win the next election, we have to beak this impression of being privileged and out of touch with our grassroots members, said a defeated parliamentary candidate from the Brong Ahafo region who maintains that Dr Kwabena Adjei is out of touch with party members.

The NDC members are not snobs nor inverted snobs, but they do expect their national executives to understand their problems and do something about it, and this is what incumbent chairman has failed to do. The priority is that the next national chairman must reconnect with all interest groups within the party who thought Dr Kwabena Adjei lived a different world to them and reassured them of party’s desire to improve their circumstance, said an activist.

Though the contest promises to be uncompromising, in the absence of further names popping up, party activists are of the view that the contest is likely to be a straight one between ‘Wayo-Wayo; and ‘Available Chairman’.