With the internal elections of the opposition National Democratic Congress drawing closer, there seem to be a deliberate grand scheme against Akans who want to contest for various positions available in the party.
It is emerging that, especially, in the Ashanti Region, party leadership, mostly non- Akans have deep mistrust towards their colleague executives who are Akans and have resorted to manipulations to oust them from the contest, a situation which have sparked various controversies and animosity in the party.
Notable amongst this turf war is the recent feud between the Ashanti regional Communication Director of the Party, Abass Nurudeen and his deputy, Alex Kwaku Asafo Adjei who have both declared their intention to contest for the position of the Communication Director of the NDC in the Ashanti region when nominations open.
This media outlet has been informed of an alleged playing of the tribal card as some party bigwigs have thrown their weight behind one of the contestants for the Ashanti regional Communication Director slot because the other opponent in the contest is an Akan which they disapprove.
And, to carry out their plots, this paper has been told of how Akans within the party’s setups have been denied both material and financial resources to carryout their duties.
According to these targeted party executives, who are mostly deputies, since 2019, they have been denied monies and other logistics to carryout their functions, even when they are aware that national had disbursed funds for them through their ‘non-Akan superiors’.
Giving credence to this highly disturbing trend, a stalwart of the party in the region, Appiah Stadium, who recently gave an interview to an Accra-based Asempa FM, disclosed that some known-Akan elders in the party like ‘Wofa’ Kwame Peprah have sat aloof for the tribal card to be played against persons who have Akan-leanings and are seeking to contest for various executive positions slot in the party.
He called on him to intervene and bring an end to the practice which might cost the party the 2024 election.
“I am saying that the elders of the NDC party should wake up. Look at what we are doing. Opposition communication in the Ashanti region and there is this level of fight and manipulation against the election of an Akan executive”, Appiah Stadium stressed.
They behave like anybody who speaks Twi should not be part of the NDC. They only want the party to [belong to a particular tribe]. It shouldn’t be so.
He further added: “If this tribal attitude of theirs do not end, the party will never win an election.
We need all on board. Casting out of supposed people who are deemed not to have grassroots in the party must cease.”
Meanwhile, some political watchers and some element within the party have expressed concerns over the unfortunate development, indicating that such grand scheme against candidates of Akan decent is a recipe for disaster in the party’s quest to increase its fortunes in the Akan-dominated areas.
