Yaw Gyan & Kofi Adams In Loyalty Contest

…As Asiedu Nketia Sounds The Alarm Bell

The General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Hon. Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has sounded a clarion call to the party’s delegates to be careful they do not elect disloyal persons to national executive positions at the impending national delegates’ congress, since that will spell the doom of the party.

Hon. Asiedu Nketia’s call seems to have placed the contest for the national organizer position between the incumbent, Mr Yaw Gyan and the current Deputy General Secretary, Mr. Kofi Adams in the context of which of the two gentlemen has the trust of delegates to be totally loyal to the cause of the NDC.

From The Catalyst’s checks within the NDC, there is no known conduct, whether proven or alleged, of Mr Yaw Gyan which could endanger his bid to clinch victory over his only contender so far if the delegates will make a choice between them based on the counsel of their General Secretary who may also be running for reelection unopposed at next month’s delegates’ congress.

The popular refrain has been that if loyalty, dedication and commitment to the cause of the NDC are anything to go by, then Mr Gyan would dwarf Mr Adams completely with a massive victory at the congress.

On the part of Mr Kofi Adams, The Catalyst can state that there are heavy clouds of lingering doubts hanging over his head as regards his total loyalty to the cause of the NDC. This derives from an allegation of disloyalty to the cause of the party leveled against him in the past, investigation into which many people the paper spoke to believe was inconclusive.

It would be remembered that a tape recording emerged after the Get Atta Mills Elected (GAME) and Friends Of Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings (FONKAR) contest in Sunyani where the late President John Evans Atta Mills retained the 2012 flagbearership position with 97% win over Mrs Rawlings who later broke away to form a new party called the National Democratic Party (NDP) on account of claims of being cheated at the polls in Sunyani.

On the tape, the alleged voices of Mr Kofi Adams and New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Gabby Otchere Darko could be heard in what appeared to be a recorded phone conversation in which the alleged voice of Mr Kofi Adams could be heard clearly pronouncing total disaffection for President Atta Mills, plotting to cause his defeat in the elections. The low-toned voice had said to the effect that ‘we must do all in our power to make sure President Mills does not win a second term presidency.’ This was months before his sad demise.

Following that, Mr Kofi Adams was put on suspension by the party pending the outcome of an investigation into the matter. But later, the party had announced at a press conference at its head office in Accra, its decision to discontinue with the investigation to authenticate the two apparent male voices for lack of the necessary technology in determining the ownerships of the voices.

Many party faithful have maintained that as far as they are concerned, that investigation was inconclusive and that it has created doubts in their minds about Mr Adams’ loyalty to the cause of the party.

In politics, perceptions play a major role in how choices are made and Mr Adams seems to have an uphill task clearing these doubts, even though he has vehemently denied the allegation, something that may be giving him sleepless nights as he goes into this contest.

The Catalyst’s interactions with party people further revealed that even those who are not satisfied with Mr Yaw Gyan’s work as national organiser appear to be suspicious of Mr Kofi Adams. The overwhelming majority still prefers Yaw Gyan for the position as they consider him as a ‘lesser evil’ because they have no doubts about his loyalty or commitment to the cause of the NDC.

From last Wednesday, when he made the call for party delegates to choose the next set of national executives based on loyalty at the reelection campaign launch of the chairman of the NDC, Dr. Kwabena Adjei, in Accra, a strong wave of awareness seems to be sweeping through the ruling party with many a member beginning to reassess contestants of various positions ahead of the congress so as to make informed choices on the D-day.

According to the NDC Chief Scribe, the party needs to have absolute trust in all its national executives, which will be the trump card for it winning the 2016 election. This, he pointed out, will derive from the past record of the aspirants as regards their loyalty and commitment to the cause of the party.

As Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the NDC for the past 9 years, Hon. Asiedu-Nketia has worked with all current executives of the party including national executive office holders who are either seeking reelection to maintain their current positions or campaigning to be shifted to other offices. He is also expected to have in-depth knowledge of most of the non-office-holder-aspirants who are on the campaign trail.

That is why his word in this regard carries much weight and cannot be disregarded by the delegates when they go to the polls next month at a yet to be announced venue to elect new national executive members who will run the affairs of the party for the next 4 years.

Running a big political party like the NDC as its general secretary is a herculean task. And, having been in charge for 9 years as someone who can be attested to be totally committed and dedicated to the service of the party, The Catalyst can state that, the general feeling within the NDC currently is that the delegates will do their party a lot of good if they heed to the advice of their General Secretary. who has sent a strong signal that “If that is what you [delegates] are about to do [electing disloyal people to national executive positions] then please, I beg you, even though no one is contesting me, don’t take me for granted, at the end of the day I will also have to decide with my family whether I will contest or not and it depends on the people you put in the team, if I know that team will be a useless endeavour I will not waste my time on that.”

Hon Asiedu Nketia, who is currently standing unopposed, revealed he will step aside should he suspect that delegates would give the mandate to people who have proven they are disloyal to the “cause of the NDC,” adding that loyalty should be the watchword as delegates head to congress next month to elect national executives of the ruling party.

“The next most important thing is loyalty; loyalty to the cause of the NDC. Are you dealing with people who, when they lose elections, begin singing with the opposition; dining with the opposition. Are you going to elect leaders who have no problem leaking party insider information to the opposition?” he asked.

He went on: “Let me tell you, the best gauge of a person’s conduct in the future is his conduct in the past. That is why it is important to review the backgrounds of the various candidates and to find out how loyal they have been to the party and that will tell you how loyal they will continue to be with the party moving forward.

“We are facing a very dangerous opposition where our opponents have more control of resources than we do. It is possible for our opponents to even sponsor candidates into our ranks to create the disunity they like so much, so let us watch out. Review the backgrounds of the various candidates and be able to cast a wise vote.

“There is a whole world of difference between operating from party office and operating from Peace FM and from Joy FM. So if you are elected to do your work come to the office and do your work and you’ll have time to respond to radio interviews… and if you go and elect leaders who will go to radio stations and when you want to organise meetings they are not available then I’m sorry you can’t win elections. So don’t let us judge people by media appearances,” the NDC General Secretary pointed out.