Be brave and call out Asiedu Nketiah directly – Lawyer to NDC Council of Elders

Legal practitioner, Adjei Tenkorang, has described the Council of Elders’ reported call for National Democratic Congress (NDC) members to halt premature internal election campaigning as a step in the right direction but says the body should have been bold enough to directly address those it believes are engaging in such activities.

Speaking on Angel FM, Tenkorang argued that the concerns being raised stem from fears that the NDC could face the same internal divisions that affected the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

“They do not want what happened to the NPP, where the party is now struggling to rebuild itself, to happen to them,” he said.

According to him, competition for future leadership positions is inevitable and naturally comes with disagreements and divisions.

“Whatever they do know, there is definitely going to be competition, there is disagreement, and there will be division,” he stated.

Tenkorang, however, maintained that if the warning was aimed at a specific individual, the Council of Elders should have identified that person directly instead of making a general statement.

“They should have been bold and said they were speaking to one individual because so far the only person who has made it obvious that they are campaigning is Chairman Asiedu Nketia,” he argued.

The lawyer claimed that comments and activities by Johnson Asiedu Nketia during the party’s Thank You Tour have fuelled perceptions of an early campaign.

“He has flyers and his speeches on various platforms. His intentions have become clear,” he alleged.

Despite this, Tenkorang said he understands the concerns of party elders, arguing that the timing of succession discussions could distract from the government’s work.

“The Council of Elders can see that the timing is wrong because President Mahama is barely two years in office,” he said.

According to him, allowing public attention to shift from President John Dramani Mahama to potential future presidential aspirants could weaken the party’s political message.

“They cannot sit down and allow the concentration to move from the President to future political aspirants. The party will not sell because the people will not know what the party is doing for them,” he stated.

Tenkorang further noted that any future NDC flagbearer would ultimately rely on the foundation laid by the current administration.

“One thing they should know is that whoever wins will have to stand on the already established foundation to become president,” he said.

He therefore urged party leaders to keep the spotlight on the President’s performance and governance agenda.

“They do not have to let the limelight leave the President of the party or they will be doing the party a disservice,” he added.