General News of Friday, 26 November 2021
Source: www.ghanaweb.live
2021-11-26Kojo Tsikata masterminded JJ’s transition from Chairman to President – Allotey speaks
Chairman Rawlings with Kojo Tsikata
Allotey Jacobs has hailed the political impact of Kojo Tsikata
He emphasized the Nkrumahist credentials of the former security chief
The NDC came into being because of his instrumentality
Bernard Allotey Jacobs, a former member of
Read full articlethe opposition National Democratic Congress, NDC, has revealed backroom political moves that brought the party into being.
According to him, the NDC as it became could not have been strong but for two tactical moves that involved late National Security Advisor during the JJ Rawlings era, Captain Kojo Tsikata.
The first was how Tsikata as patron of two Pro-Nkrumahist groups, the Kwame Nkrumah Youngsters Club and the Kwame Nkrumah Welfare Society ensured their consolidation into the National Convention Party, NCP.
According to Jacobs, he and others would later push in Tema for the NCP to agree to align politically with the NDC during the transition from the Provisional National Defense Council, PNDC, days to NDC.
The second instance was how Tsikata and two others went further to push for the NCP to merge with the NDC giving birth to the first ruling party under the FourthRepublican Constitution.
“Some do not know how the NDC came about and bandy about different accounts… how we suffered for the formation of the Progressive Alliance. The PNDC government was behind both the NDC and NCP.
“Old CPP men had to meet at Tema and lock gates that they would declare for the NCP to join hands with the NDC, so some of us at a point were being labeled (as traitors of the Nkrumahist cause). We kept our relationship with others (who remained in the CPP), all with the sole purpose of Rawlings transiting from Chairman to President.
“The whole game plan was by Captain Kojo Tsikata, PV Obeng and Ebow Tawiah,” he disclosedm on Peace FM's Kokrokoo Morning Show on Wednesday, November 24.
On his personal relationship with the late Tsikata, Allotey Jacobs described him as a “pillar on our forward march to our Fourth Republican dispensation.”
He added: “I knew Captain a little earlier in 1986. Ato Austin led me to meet him and during the launch of Kwame Nkrumah Foundation, he lodged myself and two others at Labadi Beach.”
He added that he also used to meet him at the homes of Ambassador John Tetegah and Camorade Kojo Botsio.
TWI NEWS
Tsikata, a former Head of National Security and Foreign Affairs Minister under the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) died at the age of 85 on November 20, 2021.
Member of Parliament of South Dayi, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamakpor announced the demise via Twitter.
“News is that Ghana’s Greatest Intelligence & Counter-intelligence mind ever, Capt. (Rtd.) Kojo Tsikata has just passed away. The world is a stage indeed..... Fare thee well, uncle...." his post read in part.
