Fight breaks out in NDC over defeat

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) appears to be overwhelmed with internal strife over the party’s humiliating defeat in the Wednesday, December 7, 2016 presidential and parliamentary elections.

Since the defeat – which may probably be felt after the party has handed over power to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) on January 7, 2017 – things have not been the same, with activists of the NDC going after their leaders for ‘supervising’ the defeat.

Supporters and activists of the outgoing governing party are peeved with the executives for woefully failing to deliver victory for President John Mahama, thereby sending the party into opposition.

They wondered why the leadership sat aloof for the NPP to snatch power from them without protest.

Party’s founder, Jerry John Rawlings, was said to have visited the party headquarters on Monday to access the situation.

National Coordinator of NDC’s 2016 elections campaign team, Kofi Adams; Siidi Abubakar and Fred Agbenyo, National Youth Organizer and Deputy Communications Officer of the NDC respectively, have been accused by angry supporters of doing what they described as “lazy jobs” during the elections.

They have also accused the officers of pocketing money meant for the campaign and stinting those who could do the work of cash.

The supporters have been attacking the NDC’s executives, threatening to beat up some of them. Some have allegedly gone to the level of issuing death threats on some of the executives like Kofi Adams.

On Monday, they stormed the party’s Greater Accra Regional head office clad in red cloths with red bands tied around their heads and hands to drum home their displeasure. The Regional Chairman, Ade Coker, was nearly beaten up for dropping the party’s parliamentary seats from 20 to 13 while the rival NPP jumped from 14 to 21 under his watch.

Siidi Abubakar was also attacked at the national headquarters at Adabraka when he was organizing a press conference to ostensibly condemn the New Patriotic Party concerning reports of purported attacks on NDC supporters.

An aggrieved activist of the NDC reportedly disrupted the said press conference, saying the Youth Organiser should be ashamed of himself for not helping the party to win the elections.

The activist, according to reports, nearly fought Siidi Abubakar, claiming the NDC National Youth Organizer failed to campaign for the party as Sammy Awuku, National Youth Organizer of the NPP did, claiming that Abubakar rather used the monies given him for campaign activities allegedly for his personal gains.

Ade Coker, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, NDC’s Director of Elections and other bigwigs of the party were under attack by their supporters who believed they were responsible for Mahama’s defeat.

Kumasi Office Locked

In Kumasi, the Ashanti Regional capital, where the NDC had hoped to secure 1.5 million votes, Citi Fm reported that some members of the party woke up to find the head office locked up by a known party activist, Yakubu Tony Aidoo.

Angry Tony Aidoo, according to reports, took the decision to punish the executives, who in his view, were responsible for the massive defeat.

He was reported to have said the party executives failed to use monies allocated for the campaign judiciously.

IT Failure

President-elect Nana Akufo-Addo, flogged Mr. Mahama in the presidential election with a margin of over one million votes.

Mr. Adams has since accepted responsibility of the NDC’s defeat, blaming his inability to secure victory for the party on IT failure.

Yamoah Ponkoh Fumes

But former Ejisu Juabeng Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Afrifa Yamoah Ponkoh, has reportedly stated that Kofi Adams should be killed for the party’s defeat.

He blamed the humiliating defeat of President Mahama and the NDC on the incompetence of the party’s campaign team, which Kofi Adams headed.

“I laughed it off when I heard Kofi Adams saying he should be blamed for our defeat. He should stop irritating our ears; why should he accept the blame, why did he accept to be the National Campaign Coordinator when he knew that he was going to fail us?” He queried.

Ponkoh continued, “I mean, why? It is an unforgivable sin. Andy Okrah and Kofi Adams need to be hanged for our defeat. They should have humbly rejected the offers when they were appointed. They have no excuse to give.”

Speaking on Kumasi-based Abusua FM Tuesday, Yamoah Ponkoh said the defeat was a serious blow to the NDC.

He suggested a death sentence for the Ashanti Regional NDC 2016 Campaign Coordinator, Andy Osei Okrah, alleging that he caused the party’s defeat in the region.

“He needs to be hanged because he has committed a serious crime against humanity,” the ex-MCE for Ejisu/Juaben fumed, adding that Mr. Okrah’s inefficiencies led to the NDC’s defeat.

According to Yamoah Ponkoh, “This defeat is a serious blow to us. We are now going to feel the impact of our loss; our supporters are being vilified, killed, beaten everyday by the New Patriotic Party supporters. Watch the space; the harassment will be worse after the president-elect Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is sworn into office.”