Anti-Ashanti Agenda Hits NPP General Secretary Race

The race for the General Secretary position of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), has taken an interesting twist, with intriguing historical and dirty tribal spin against candidates from the Ashanti origin, considered as the ‘World Bank’ of the party.

The Anchor is reliably informed some candidates in the race, together with their agents, are going round, secretly telling delegates not to vote for contenders from the Ashanti origin, because in the history of the NPP since 1992, no General Secretary from that region has ever won general election for the party.

They cited, for example; the late Joseph Agyenim Boateng, Nana Ohene Ntow and Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, popularly known as Sir John, all General Secretary of the party from 1992 -2000, 2004 -2008 and 2008 to 2012, respectively.

Even though this particular message has not yet been put out publicly, sources within the camp of certain candidate (name withheld) told this paper in confidentiality that it would be one of the last-minute messages to be rolled out in few hours to the election.

The late Agyenim Boateng, took an active part in the re-organisation of the NPP in the run-up to the restoration of constitutional rule in 1992, got elected as General Secretary in 1992 and was re-elected in 1995 when the party went to congress.

He, however, did not win power for the NPP during his tenure until he lost the position to Mr. Dan Botwe in 1998 which saw the party wining the 2000 general election.

Again, in the year 2008 elections, the then Chief Scribe, Mr. Ohene Ntow could not retain the NPP in power, leading to the current President, Nana Akufo-Addo narrowly losing to the late Professor John Evans Atta-Millis at the time.

Similarly, Mr. Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie who was also from the Ashanti Region and a former General Secretary of the party, could not clinch victory for the NPP during his tenure.

So far, about five persons including the incumbent, John Boadu, have hinted of their intentions to contest for the position.

Other contenders for the position are; former Member of Parliament for Suhum, Frederick Opare Ansah, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Youth Employment Agency (YEA), Justin Frimpong Kodua, the Western Regional Secretary of NPP, Charles Onuawonto Bissue and Iddrisu Musah alias Musah Suprior.

But among the candidates, Mr. Opare Ansah is considered by many as the favourite to win the polls, having served as an MP and onetime minority Chief Whip.

Mr. Opare Ansah is said to be enjoying strong support within the ruling party, especially from his former colleagues in parliament, who are rooting for him to win the spot in order to use the position to bring some sanity into the party.

He has been campaigning very hard ahead of the contest and, sees it as a call to duty, to serve the party having been in public service for years.

For him, he sees this contest as an opportunity to drive the NPP’s vision forward as they seek to win the next general election in Ghana; and, this seems to have gone down well with the delegates who will vote at the party elections when they come up.

More To Come…