The National Chairman of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr. Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, has in a belligerent mood, served notice that the newly elected executives of the party are willing to sacrifice their lives for total victory in the 2024 general election.
Giving his victory speech Sunday morning after taking the oath of office following a landslide victory over incumbent national chairman Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, Asiedu Nketiah who is popularly referred to as ‘General Mosquito’ reiterated the resolve of the new executives to take the fight to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to wrestle power from the governing party in the next election.
“We know the path will not be smooth but we will stand up to the challenge and we are prepared to sacrifice everything and I mean everything including our lives to achieve victory.
“Wherever impunity becomes law, resistance becomes a duty. Looking at the array of executives elected today I have no doubt the party wants us to carry the battle to the elephant, we cannot let the country, and we cannot let the party down”, General Mosquito declared.
The former NDC General Secretary thanked party delegates for reposing confidence in them and that the rank and file of the party would not be disappointed.
“You the delegates of our party have given us the mandate to secure the second independence of Ghana”, he added.
Mr. Asiedu Nketiah also called on party members to unite and eschew hatred and bitterness to secure victory in the next general election.
“We are not taking the confidence for granted, Ghana is in crisis and the NDC is also at a crossroads. What we need is unity, we pledge on behalf of myself and the new executives that in the coming days our first assignment is to work to unite the party and bring everybody on board even as we march forward to defeat the elephant and set the nation on the path of progress”, he stated.
Mr Asiedu Nketiah won Saturday’s election in a landslide victory to oust the incumbent National Chairman, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo in an election that had almost 9,000 delegates from all the 275 constituencies in the country participating.
He polled 5,569 votes against Ofosu Ampofo’s 2,892 votes with other contestants in the chairmanship race Samuel Yaw Adusei and Nii Armah Ashietey polling 52 and 38 votes respectively.
Other elected executives
There were surprises in the race for the other national executive positions as many of the contestants including former Minister for Youth and Sports, Elvis Afriyie Ankrah who were tipped to win rather lost miserably.
Vice chairmanship position
Eight persons contested for three slots, however, at the end of the contest the three persons got the positions.
Awudu Sofo Azourka, Dr Sherry Ayittey and Abanga Yakubu Alhassan were elected as first, second and third vice chairpersons respectively.
General Secretary position
Mr. Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, won the contest to take over from Johnson Asiedu Nketiah as General Secretary.
The former Propaganda Secretary and two-term Member of Parliament (MP) for Ketu South contested with Dr. Peter Boamah Otukunor, who served as Mr Nketiah’s Deputy and Elvis Afriyie Ankrah.
Deputy General Secretary
There were seven aspirants for the two slots available for this position.
However, Barbara Serwaa Asamoah retained her position as Deputy General Secretary with Gbande Foyo Mustapha taking the other slot.
National Organiser
The former Deputy Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr Joseph Yamin, won the position, beating the incumbent Joshua Akamba, Chief Hamilton Biney and others.
Deputy National Organiser
For the Deputy National Organiser position, only two were needed out of the four contestants.
After the polls, Kobby Barlon and Elikem Kotoko were elected.
National Communications Officer
Sammy Gyamfi was retained as the Communication Officer position after he went unopposed following the disqualification of his only challenger.
Deputy Communications Officer
Malik Basintale and Ako Gunn were elected the deputy National Communication Officers.
Zongo Caucus Coordinator
Five persons contested for the Zongo Caucus Coordinator position.
However, at the end of the contest, Mamah Mohammed Cole Younger won.
NEC members
For the National Executive Committee (NEC) members, 19 contestants contested for five slots.
At the end of the polls, Victor Wonder Kutor, Araba Tagoe, Cecillia N. Asaga, Victoria Kuma-Mintah and Ephraim Nii Tan Sackey were elected.
