By Issah Olegor
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) National Chairman Johnson Asiedu Nketiah has called the bluff of the party’s Council of Elders to halt all campaigns towards the flagbearership contest until such a time the greenlight shall be given by the leadership.
Asiedu Nketiah commonly known as General Mosquito is on campaign move clothed as ‘Thank You Tour’ since last year, a move that has taken him to several constituencies and he is not retreating.
The tour is causing uneasiness in the party, especially as it is creating divisions among the rank and file leading to the Council of Elders to step in.
The controversy comes at a time when succession politics within the NDC is rapidly gathering momentum following President John Dramani Mahama’s return to power in the 2024 general elections.
With President Mahama constitutionally barred from seeking another term in 2028, attention has increasingly shifted toward who will emerge as the party’s next presidential candidate.
The Council of Elders recently intervened after reports emerged that some individuals and interest groups within the party had begun positioning themselves for the expected presidential race.
Following a high-level meeting with President Mahama, the Council issued a strongly worded statement warning against all forms of premature campaigning, endorsements, mobilization and succession-related activities.
The Council stressed that the NDC’s immediate focus should remain on governance and the implementation of President Mahama’s “Resetting Agenda” rather than internal political contests.
“At this critical stage of national reconstruction and renewal, every member of the Party is expected to devote his or her energies, resources, and commitment to supporting the Government’s efforts to reset the country and improve the lives of Ghanaians,” the Council stated.
The elders further emphasized that under Article 42 of the NDC Constitution, only the National Executive Committee has the authority to determine the timetable and guidelines for presidential primaries.
However, political observers say the warning has done little to slow down growing speculation surrounding Asiedu Nketiah’s political ambitions.
For months, the National Chairman has been undertaking what is officially described as a nationwide “Thank You Tour,” engaging party supporters, constituency executives and grassroots members across the country.
While party officials insist the tour is intended to appreciate supporters for helping return the NDC to power, critics within and outside the party view it as a subtle political campaign designed to build support ahead of the 2027 presidential primary.
Debate On Thank You Tour
The tour has generated intense debate, particularly because it is taking place simultaneously with President Mahama’s own nationwide “Reset Tour.”
The parallel engagements have fueled perceptions of competing power centers within the ruling party. Those perceptions deepened after Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu publicly referred to President Mahama’s engagements as the “proper thank you tour” while appearing to dismiss another tour as merely a “curtain raiser.”
The comments were widely interpreted as a veiled criticism of Asiedu Nketiah’s activities and highlighted growing unease within sections of the governing party.
The tensions have been compounded by recent remarks made by Asiedu Nketiah regarding the controversial 2023 parliamentary leadership reshuffle that removed Haruna Iddrisu and Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak from the Minority leadership team.
Speaking during at Tamale South, the NDC Chairman claimed the party won the 2024 elections partly because it changed what he described as the party’s “forward line” in Parliament.
According to him, the difficult decision was necessary to improve the NDC’s electoral prospects.
The comments immediately triggered backlash from supporters of both Haruna Iddrisu and Interior Minister Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, who accused the Chairman of reopening old wounds and attempting to rewrite the history of the party’s victory.
Supporters of Muntaka later issued statements defending the contributions of both leaders and warning against efforts to diminish the role they played in some of the NDC’s most difficult parliamentary battles.
The latest developments have revived memories of earlier clashes involving Asiedu Nketiah and senior figures within the party.
In 2023, he championed the parliamentary leadership reshuffle despite resistance from sections of the Minority Caucus and some party elders. At the time, the move generated widespread controversy and accusations that the National Chairman was acting independently of broader party consensus.
The current tensions reflect a larger battle over the future direction of the NDC after President Mahama’s tenure.
Several influential figures are already being mentioned as possible contenders for the party’s 2027 presidential primaries, including Chief of Staff Julius Debrah, Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Forson, Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu, Agriculture Minister Eric Opoku and Johnson Asiedu Nketiah himself.
The emergence of these names has intensified internal maneuvering and heightened concerns among party elders about factionalism.
The situation has become so sensitive that some traditional leaders and senior party members have publicly appealed to potential aspirants to exercise restraint and avoid activities that could divide the party prematurely.
Meanwhile, the party’s communication machinery has also moved to tighten message discipline. Recent directives from the NDC National Secretariat instructed communicators to focus on government achievements, job creation and national development rather than issues capable of fueling internal divisions.
Despite these warnings, discussions about the post-Mahama era continue to dominate conversations within the NDC.
