'Very troubling!' – Pratt wades into Asiedu Nketiah-Haruna Iddrisu brouhaha

Managing Editor of The Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr, has waded into the controversy surrounding recent public pronouncements made by the National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketiah.

Speaking on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana, on June 3, 2026, Pratt termed as highly "troubling" and structurally problematic assertions from the veteran politician.

Pratt expressed deep concern over claims that Asiedu Nketiah single-handedly orchestrated the removal of former Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, and the Minority Chief Whip from their leadership positions in Parliament.

While acknowledging their long-standing relationship and shared progressive views on international geopolitics, Pratt argued that the Chairman’s claims represent a dangerous overreach of constitutional party powers.

“He removed them with what locus? Is that how the party functions?” Pratt questioned.

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“If that is how the party functions, then there's a big problem; that the National Chairman, on his own, can remove the leader of the party in parliament. That's troubling,” he stressed.

Pratt insisted that the institutional framework of a democratic political party does not grant absolute dictatorial powers to its chairman.

“The National Chairman of a political party has no such power. He cannot, on his own, without regard to the views of parliamentarians, without regard to the views of the National Executive Council (NEC), without regard to anybody, remove Haruna as leader of the party in parliament. How is that possible?” he quizzed.

Beyond parliamentary oversight, Pratt noted a glaring contradiction in how the NDC Chairman has historically managed public accountability regarding government appointments.

According to Pratt, elements within the party including Asiedu Nketiah had previously distanced themselves from controversial appointments, shifting the full weight of public disappointment onto the shoulders of President John Dramani Mahama.

Pratt pointed out the hypocrisy of the Chairman now claiming to be the kingmaker behind critical state portfolios.

“So, how come that today, the same Mr. Comrade Johnson Asiedu Nketiah is claiming that he can actually decide who becomes a minister? And not just any minister. He can decide who becomes Minister of the Interior, one of the most serious positions in any government... and Minister of Education, one of the most important portfolios,” Pratt stated.

He warned that by claiming credit for placing individuals into heavy-weight ministries like Interior and Education, Asiedu Nketiah inadvertently absorbs the blame for any administrative failures associated with those offices.

“If he's the one deciding who becomes Minister of Interior and who becomes Minister of Education, then he has tremendous influence in appointments…and if things have gone wrong with appointments, then we cannot hold our President Mahama responsible alone. He [Asiedu Nketiah] is also responsible for what has gone wrong. This is the problem,” he said.

VPO