A former National Organizer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Yaw Boateng Gyan, has impressed on the Council of Elders of his party to halt a possible contest between the General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, and the National Chairman, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo.
In his view, the contest between the two will sharply divide the party ahead of the crucial 2024 elections.
He argued that the party could not afford to allow cracks between the two because they both command a huge following in the party.
"We will need the two in the party going into the 2024 elections, and just as we did for the first time in 1992 in Cape Coast, where the party elected national officers based on consensus, the same can be done with the two," he said.
Already, the Aseidu Nketiah has stated that he would not seek re-election in the upcoming national elections of the party on December 17, 2022.
This decision will pave the way for the likes of his current deputy, Dr. Peter Boamah Otukornor, among others, to declare their interest in running for the soon-to-be-vacant seat of the General Secretary.
While this is the case, there are indications that instead of retirement, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah will seek to become the NDC's chairman.
Yaw Boateng Gyan believes this is likely to jeopardize the party's chances in the 2024 elections.
He has therefore asked that the National Council of Elders of the party summon the two and help them appreciate how their decisions to contest each other could threaten the party's chances.
"We are in the party, and we know that a lot of things happen, so if we fail to put down proper measures, things will go bad for us. The 2014 national executive elections held at the Kumasi Sports Stadium hugely contributed to our defeat in 2016. This is so because of how some candidates were treated in that election, so their followers refused to vote in the national elections out of anger. And that single decision we took (in 2014) is the reason we are still in opposition.
"My followers and that of the defeated chairman Kwabena Agyei were badly hurt. Some of them vowed not to vote in the national elections because of how we were treated and indeed, did not vote, which is why we are in opposition till date," he added.
He also cautioned the party against the mentality that they have already won the 2024 elections in advance.
"We shouldn't think that 2024 is a done deal for us. We must work and make sure that we remove every obstacle in our way. If we joke about this, it will affect us.
"If Aseidu Nketia says he won't contest as the General Secretary again, let's talk to him and see where he can apply his expertise. So, for the peace and development of the party, the two should be summoned to ensure a middle ground for them," he added.
The former NDC party executive made these comments known when he spoke with Kwesi Parker-Wilson on Oyerepa TV's news analysis show, Ghana Te Sen, over the weekend and monitored by GhanaWeb.
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Asiedu Nketiah and Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo of the NDC