NDC Parliamentary Leadership Shake-up Divides Party: Some MPs Petition NEC To Suspend Reshuffle

• Some NDC Members of Parliament have formally communicated their opposition to the changes the party has made to its leadership in Parliament
• Cletus Avoka, MP for Zebilla East, who addressed the press conference on January 26, 2023 said there could be dire consequences if the party fails to suspend the decision to change Haruna Iddrisu, Muntaka Mubarak and Klutse Avedzi
• He wants the party to consult further on the changes it wants to make the party's leadership in Parliament to bring unity

There appears to be deep cracks within the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) over the surprise changes to the party's leadership in Parliament.

Some Members of Parliament have been opposing the the decision to change Haruna Iddrisu as Minority Leader; Muntaka Mubarak as Minority Chief Whip; and James Klutse Avedzi as Deputy Minority Leader.

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They were replaced with Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah and Kwame Governs Agbodza respectively on Tuesday, January 24, 2023.

Aside from the violent attacks on some NDC executives and fierce criticisms on media platforms by some party affiliates dissenting to the decision, some MPs have also organised a formal press conference to call for the suspension of the changes.

Addressing the press conference on behalf of some 60 NDC MPs, Cletus Avoka, the experience legislator for Zebilla East, said "there will grave consequence" if the party's National Executive Committee (NEC) and Functional Executive Committee (FEC) keep the new appointments.

"We have also investigated and found that the Functional Executive and National Executive Committee, including the Council of Elders did not have a formal meeting to take a decision [on the reshuffle]…and the caucus as a body was not consulted on this matter," Avoka alleged.

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Muntaka, whose is admired for his unwavering criticism of the government and probing questions during ministerial vetting, was sitting close to Avoka as he spoke.

Avoka told journalists that per the conventions in Parliament, Haruna, Muntaka and Klutse are still in office because the Speaker of Parliament is yet to read the letter announcing the changes to the rest of the lawmakers. Until that is done, Ato Forson and co are nobodies.

"Our petition is a prayer to suspend the reshuffle indicated by the National Executive of the party until such a time that there is a holistic meeting of stakeholders and consultation before we take a decision.

"We are saying so against the background that the National Executive Committee of the party a few weeks ago decided that all appointees in the party and in Parliament should remain in office until after we have concluded the parliamentary and flagbearer primaries on the 13th of May," he said.

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Ato Forson speaks for the first time after shake-up that made him minority leader

Meanwhile, YEN.com.gh has reported in a separate story that finance and economics guru, Cassiel Ato Forson, spoken for the first time on Thursday, January 26, since being announced as Minority Leader in the surprise move.

He expressed his appreciation to the NDC for the honour done him by the appointment in a post on Facebook.

He also disclosed that has reached out to Haruna Iddrisu, whom he replaced, and commended him for his stewardship.

Source: YEN.com.gh