Minority Leadership Reshuffle: Irate NDC Supporters Storm Radio Station, Beat Up Deputy General Secretary

Some irate supporters of the National Democratic Congress on Wednesday, January 25, 2022 stormed the premise of Radio Tamale and inflicted harm on the deputy General Secretary of the party Mustapha Gbande.

Details of the incident revealed in a publication by the radio station shows that the incident happened during a live interview by Mustapha Gbande over the changes in the leadership of the party’s caucus in Parliament.

Mustapha Gbande is reported to have justified the decision by the National Executive Committee of the party on grounds that the changes were necessary for victory in the 2024 elections.

He is said to have explained that the NDC boasts of competent members for leadership positions and that whenever the party feels it is right for changes, it will make such decisions.

According to the reports, just when Mustapha Gbande was about wrapping up his interview, some supporters believed to be from the camp of ousted Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu stormed the premises and attempted to force their way into the studio but they were repelled.

The angry supporters stayed around the premise and when Mustapha Gbande who is the deputy to Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, the man who signed the controversial release came out after the interview, the pounced on him and assaulted him before he could be whisked into his car.

The decision by the NEC of the NDC to remove Haruna Iddrisu has been expressly rejected by the supporters of the party in Tamale.

On Tuesday, the coalition of NDC supporters in Tamale gave the party an ultimatum to reverse the decision or face its wrath.

“We were warned that Asiedu Nketiah will destroy the party if he becomes the national chairman, and the changes he has made clearly show. I know that Asiedu Nketia dislikes Northerners and this development proves that indeed he dislikes us,” Alhaji Rauf, the Tamale South Constituency chair of the NDC said.

Meanwhile, close to fifty Members of Parliament (MPs) from the National Democratic Congress (NDC) have signed a petition calling on the party leadership to reverse the changes made to their leaders in parliament. Background

A former deputy Minister of Finance, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, has been appointed as the Minority Leader, as replacement for Haruna Iddrisu.

Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah has also been named as the new Deputy Minority Chief Whip.

Kwame Agbodza takes over as Chief Whip.

Ahmed Ibrahim, MP for Banda, has been maintained as the First Deputy Minority Chief Whip, while Comfort Doyo Cudjoe-Ghansah, MP for Ada, is the Second Deputy Minority Chief Whip.

This was contained in a letter to the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, from the National Democratic Congress dated January 23, 2023.