• Lord Commey told NPP faithful that the party will not hand over power in 2024
• His views elicited condemnation from a number of top NDC officials
When the Director of Operations at the Presidency Lord Oblitey Commey mounted the stage last week during a conference of the New Patriotic Party, NPP, in Accra; his statements on holding on to and handing over power were clearly controversial.
Controversial as they were and still are, they have elicited rapid responses from top officials of the National Democratic Congress, NDC, all of who have called Commey’s bluff and vowed to protect the ballot come 2024.
The latest to react is the former president of the republic John Dramani Mahama who spoke during his ‘Thank You’ tour of the Volta Region.
What Lord Commey said:
Commey was speaking on behalf of the President at a party conference when he made comments which included the following: “I don’t care who becomes national chairman, I don’t care who becomes flagbearer, what I care is that the NPP continues to reign in this country. The power I have I will not hand it over today or tomorrow.
He had earlier slammed the party faithful for what he said was collective failure, referencing how the NPP lost a number of Parliamentary seats in the region. He tasked them to reset their priorities and double up efforts to avoid the previous mistakes and more importantly hold on to power.
“Breaking the 8, it’s become a slogan. I don’t have any 8 to break. I am continuing; tell your friend, we are continuing…you are just scaring yourself as if there is something to break,” he said to a cheering crowd.
What Mahama said about Commey’s pronouncements
According to Mahama, the NPP was exhibiting arrogance of power plus a desire to hold on to power at all cost.
“What kind of democracy is NPP fostering in this country, when you listen to people like Lord Commey, It’s about power. It’s not about the welfare of the people, what is the meaning of that?
“This is the sovereign will of the people who elected you to serve. You know when arrogance of power sets in then you hear people speak so carelessly, and recklessly. I think it is most unfortunate.
"It’s been arrogance of power; he was quoting the President, the President said he is going to hand over power to an NPP President, he will hand over to someone he knows well; it is not your will it is God’s will and the will of the people,” Mahama added.
NDC reactions before Mahama’s interview
A number of NDC members were quick to react to Commey’s views, one of the first to do so was Felix Kwakye Ofosu, a former deputy Communications Minister, he called Commey’s words ‘a stale joke.’
On October 15, he posted on Facebook: “Lord Commey is quite funny.He actually believes that when Ghanaians vote them out in 2024 and the results indicate same, he or anyone else within the NPP can hold on to power? Why,he wasn’t in Ghana in 2008? What a stale joke!”
A day later, National Communications Officer, Sammy Gyamfi, posted a video clip of Commey with a note which read: “To our national executives please take note. Enough of the paperwork in the office. They've naked their agenda of maintaining power at all cost.
“Executives that want to maintain their positions should rise and show us how radical they can be. Let's not let the Do or Die be a slogan.”
Another former deputy Minister,, Joseph Yammin also hit back via Facebook: “This is nonsense. We are prepared for you,” he posted with a video clip of Commey making the said pronouncements.
In came Nana Oye Bampoe Addo, a former Gender, Children and Social Protection Minister, who also posted on Facebook: “The NPP Party, HE Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo,Lord Commey of Jubilee House,Office of the President of Ghana.Take note, that the 'Power' of Ghana is the 1992 Constitution of Ghana.
“The 'Power'of Ghana are our values of peace, tolerance and democratic rule. Power will be handed over according to the dictates of the Constitution of Ghana, and nothing else. Take Note.”
