According to Alfred Thompson, a former Deputy Managing Director of the National Investment Bank (NIB), there were two key reasons why Haruna Iddrisu was demoted from her position as Minority Leader.
He says that Haruna didn’t get along with former President John Dramani Mahama and that he didn’t back the current National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, at the party’s recent congress to elect national executives. He also says that Haruna’s refusal to back Nketia is what led to his removal.
The New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) media team member, Mr. Thompson, labeled the moves as a coup d’état in the NDC when speaking on the big issue with Berla Mundi on TV3 on Friday, January 27.
We are aware of what is happening in the opposition party,” he declared. Everyone is aware of the tension between Haruna Iddrisu and John Dramani Mahama.
He remembered that Mr. Mahama eventually gave Haruna Iddrisu the job of Minister in his government, even though he wasn’t even ready to do so. Malik Basintale, a member of the NDC’s media staff, however, disregarded his remarks.
According to Basintale, Haruna Iddrisu and the former president Mahama get along well. They were participating in a debate about the NDC’s adjustments to the minority in Parliament’s leadership. Members of the minority caucus disagree about the selection of new minority leaders.
Cletus Avoka, a member of parliament from Zebilla East, said that Haruna Iddrisu and the other opposition leaders who had been kicked out of office were still in charge because the Speaker of Parliament had not told the Minority caucus and the whole House about any changes to the Minority’s leadership.
On January 26, he declared, “For us, there is no reshuffle yet; the Speaker has not talked to us,” when speaking at a news conference in parliament.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC), which was also impacted by the reforms, was called to order by Asawase Member of Parliament Muntaka Mubarak.
Muntaka is dissatisfied with the changes the party has made to the minority’s leadership.
Despite the fact that General Secretary Fifi Kwetey’s signature appeared on the announcement announcing it, he thinks that a small group of executives made the choice.
“How can you write a letter to let someone down if you can’t write a letter to appoint?”At the press conference, he questioned.
He said, “We don’t want to unduly incite hostility among ourselves; we think the proper procedure should be followed.”
He said, “If the proper procedure is followed, we will be pleased and grateful for the chance to serve.” We anticipate that they will facilitate a swift hearing on the matters.”
The minority caucus became divided as a result of the leadership transition. The gathering will include Johnson Asiedu Nketia, national chairman of the NDC, and Fifi Kwetey, general secretary.
So far, 48 opposition legislators have signed a petition urging the party officials to reconsider their choice. They said that the choice was unpopular and that they wanted it overturned.
A few NDC lawmakers, notably Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed, voiced dismay at the party’s plan to restructure its parliamentary leadership.
Haruna Iddrisu, the representative for Tamale South, was replaced as minority leader on Tuesday, January 24, by Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, the member of parliament for the Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam Constituency. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah of Ellembelle takes over for James Klutse Avedzi in that position as well.
The Tamale Central MP said there had been no caucus input at all before the publication in a statement made on TV3’s News 360 on Tuesday, January 24, following the announcement of the decision.
Every member of parliament, he claimed, was astonished. “And I can tell you that even those who have been offered to take leadership, some of them are surprised that such a proposition is made without even contacting them,” he said.
He criticized the method of communication, claiming that, like many other NDC MPs, he learned about the decision via social media. He raged, “That is not how things are done.”
The NDC is a democratic party. We have hailed ourselves as this democracy’s pioneers. We have all decided to follow the road of democracy because the NDC created the Constitution in 1992.
He said that the NDC should be the last to reject democratic principles, and that doing so without engaging the group or caucus reeks of contempt in his eyes.
The former Nandom MP claimed that his participation in the Sixth and even Eighth Parliaments convinced him that the party’s leadership and caucus actively discussed each other before making such decisions.
He questioned, “How can you pick leaders for a group without consulting that group?”
“Who told you that the folks you selected would be acceptable to the group? If the group was uneasy about the people you chose, it would be the start of that particular leader’s failure.
Charles Agbeve, a member of parliament representing Agotime Ziope, also requested justifications for the choice.
The NDC MPs, according to Mr. Agbeve, were taken aback when the revisions were announced since there had been no prior discussions.
In an interview, he stated to TV3 that he was “flabbergasted” by the news because it was one of the last pieces of information he had anticipated at this particular moment.
“It took me a while to really appreciate the news because usually the national executives will consult with the leadership of Parliament, and if the leadership feels that the consultation can’t proceed, they meet with the entire caucus. As a result, I can count countless meetings between the caucus and the national executives on all issues.
When problems arise, the leadership decides to consult the national executives for guidance before deciding on a course of action. So, if there was going to be a shake-up like this, one would have assumed that there would have been some engagements, and that engagement would have mellowed down the surprise and shock.
“You will know there will be some modifications here and there, and then people will provide their opinions and recommendations, but this was not done, and I will want to know what went into this thinking, I will want some answers that will give us all reasons to support it.”
Johnson Asiedu Nketia, the National Chairman of the NDC, said that the decision was made in light of the way that national problems are now being discussed.
“You need to put your finest guy forward in the economy, and that is what we have done,” he told Accra-based Joy FM. “The debates and the other conversations will center on the economy.”
We also examined energy. Due to the problems with oil and power, we decided that Kofi-Armah Buah, our former energy minister, should serve as the Deputy Minority Leader. For the infrastructure problem, Kwame Agbodza, our man in infrastructure, should also play a significant role. Therefore, that was primarily the source of the alterations.
