Count-down to the much-touted manifesto launch of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) tomorrow- Saturday, August 24, 2024-has been characterised by tensions in the party over attempts by some leaders to amend portions of the yet-to-be-launched manifesto to counter the bold solutions manifesto launched a week earlier by the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.
Insiders say a faction of the leadership, led by Sammy Gyamfi, National Communications Officer, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, and Felix Ofosu Kwakye, wants the party to change some of its policies to counter promises made by the NPP.
This call has reportedly angered members of the manifesto committee, chaired by Prof. Alex Kwaku Danso-Boafo, who see the attempt as disrespectful and an insult to the efforts put into drafting the manifesto.
At an emergency meeting on August 20, 2024, to resolve the impasse, the Danso-Boafo-led committee vowed to resist the last-minute changes, further deepening cracks within the NDC.
Meanwhile, further division has emerged within the party over the selection of Winneba as the venue for the campaign launch, contrary to the widely held view within the party that the event was going to be in Cape Coast.
Many believe this is the second time the party has bypassed the Central Regional capital ahead of the 2024 general elections. It is reported that the party had planned to launch its campaign in Cape Coast but had to change at the last minute to the Northern Region due to the growing influence of the NPP in the North.
Former President Mahama, speaking at the campaign launch, hinted that the party would launch its manifesto in the Central Region, without stating the specific venue. Following the campaign launch, President Mahama, during the official introduction of Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang to traditional leaders in the Central Region, further assured the people of the party’s decision to launch the manifesto in the region.
According to sources, the party initially had Cape Coast in mind but hurriedly abandoned the idea following a recent incident where Prof. Jane Opoku-Agyemang was met with rejection in Winneba. It is reported that market women in the Effutu Municipal capital, Winneba, on Friday, August 2, 2024, abandoned Prof. Opoku-Agyemang when she went there to talk to them about the NDC. The market women reportedly left to join Afenyo-Markin, the MP for the area, who was scheduled to tour the place and was spotted in the market.
All those gathered with John Mahama’s running mate allegedly left her for Afenyo-Markin, who interacted with the market women on various issues, compelling Prof. Opoku-Agyemang to leave the scene.
Sources indicate that the NDC decided to shelve its Cape Coast idea for Winneba in an attempt to salvage the embarrassing episode that greeted their running mate. This, according to the sources, is causing disagreement within the party, with some believing that the NDC is allowing the NPP to dictate their pace and actions.
Some party functionaries have expressed misgivings over the choice of Winneba, asserting that it was not strategic and unlikely to yield political dividends due to the growing influence of the Majority Leader and the NPP in the area.
The party is also said to be struggling to agree on a theme for its manifesto, as various leaders are unable to reach a consensus. The party has yet to finalize a theme, with conflicting ideas on whether to choose “Building the Ghana We Want Together” or “Resetting Ghana.” The disagreement over the theme is further disintegrating the party.
Sources have also disclosed that the party’s running mate is likely to miss the manifesto launch. According to the sources, she was unhappy that her name was removed from the official statement announcing the venue for the launch.
Additionally, she is set to hand over as the President of the Forum for African Women Educationalists on the same day, creating a scheduling conflict.
