I was not attacked in Tamale – NDC Deputy General secretary debunks reports

The Deputy General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress, Mustapha Foyo Gbande, has refuted reports that he was attacked by some members of the party on Wednesday, January 25, 2023.

In a publication, Radio Tamale reported that some irate supporters of the NDC on Wednesday stormed the premises of the radio station and inflicted harm on the deputy general secretary of the main opposition party.

But reacting to the report in a statement copied to GhanaWeb, Mustapha Gbande said he was at no point attacked or harmed when he went to Radio Tamale.

“Whiles on air, some supposed party members numbering about 7 came to the premises of the station to express their displeasure on the change of Hon. Haruna Iddrisu as leader of the Minority group in Parliament. I came down from the studio to calm issues down before leaving. At no point was I attacked, and such a claim must be treated with the contempt it deserves,” the deputy general secretary said.

According to the report by Tamale Radio, the group of irate NDC supporters stormed the radio station and assaulted Mr Gbande over the party’s decision to change the leadership of its caucus in parliament.

Details of the incident revealed in a publication by the radio station show that the incident happened during a live interview by Mustapha Gbande over the changes in the leadership of the party’s caucus in Parliament.

Mustapha Gbande is reported to have justified the decision by the National Executive Committee of the party on grounds that the changes were necessary for victory in the 2024 elections.

He is said to have explained that the NDC boasts competent members for leadership positions and that whenever the party feels it is suitable for changes, it will make such decisions.

According to the report, just when Mustapha Gbande was about to wrap up his interview, some supporters believed to be from the camp of ousted Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu stormed the premises and attempted to force their way into the studio but they were repelled.

The angry supporters stayed around the premise, and when Mustapha Gbande, who is the deputy to Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, the man who signed the controversial release, came out after the interview, they pounced on him and assaulted him before he could be whisked into his car.

But in his rejoinder to the report, Mr Gbande was emphatic in stating that no attack was meted out on him.

“My attention has been drawn to a supposed attack on my person as reported by Tamale Radio on their online portal.

“For the records, I wasn't attacked in Tamale yesterday. The fact of the matter is, during an interview session with Radio Tamale on a press conference I addressed earlier in Tolon Constituency on an embarrassing Ludo donation by the MP, the question of the changes in the NDC was put to me. I indicated that it was a strategic decision by the party in repositioning the party in winning the 2024 election. I indicated that even though I may not be personally happy about the changes, it is in the interest of the party.

“I made it clear that the decision taken by leadership might not sit well with all members but we must accept it even if reluctantly for us to move on in our quest to winning power in 2024,” he added.

A former Deputy Minister of Finance, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, has been appointed as the Minority Leader, as a replacement for Haruna Iddrisu.

Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah has also been named as the new Deputy Minority Chief Whip.

Kwame Agbodza takes over as Chief Whip.

Ahmed Ibrahim, MP for Banda, has been maintained as the First Deputy Minority Chief Whip, while Comfort Doyo Cudjoe-Ghansah, MP for Ada, is the Second Deputy Minority Chief Whip.

This was contained in a letter to the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, from the National Democratic Congress dated January 23, 2023.