The late President Atta Mills
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the family of the late President John Evans Atta Mills yesterday clashed with the former Deputy General Secretary of the NDC, Koku Anyidoho, over time schedule at the event to mark the 12th memorial service of the late President in Accra.
The event, held at the Asomdwee Park near the castle gardens, took a different turn when the former NDC General Secretary exceeded the agreed time of 7:30am to 9:00am, to enable the family of the late President Atta Mills and the NDC to also hold its memorial service to mark the demise of the former President.
Koku Anyidoho was ushered from the event grounds by the swift intervention of security personnel in order to prevent further clashes between him and members of the NDC, and the late President Atta Mills’ family.
Present at the memorial service were the flagbearer of the NDC, John Mahama; his running mate, Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang; General Secretary of the NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketia; Member of Parliament (MP) for Krowor, Agnes Naa Momo; former National Security Coordinator, Larry Gbevlo Lartey; and former Chairman of the party, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo.
Others are former Minister of Information, Totobi Kwakye; MP for Korle Klottey, Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, and the former Director of Elections of the NDC, Elvis Afriyie Ankrah.
Brother of the late President, Samuel Atta Mills, and former MP for Odododiodio, Nii Lantey Vanderpuye, who were furious over the turn of events at the park, led some party members to dismantle the canopies used by Koku Anyidoho and his members, to enable the NDC to also hold its memorial service.
Samuel Atta Mills, who is also the Member of Parliament for Komenda Edina Eguafo Abrem Constituency in the Central Region, in an interview with journalists said Koku Anyidoho bused people he described as ‘fake’ family members and asked them to continue to be at the venue, which prevented them from starting their programme on the scheduled time.
He said, “You’re not related to this man, and anybody could come here and celebrate him. He is for the country so why would you want to clash with us? And as a coward as he is, he ran away and left the people here, the fake family over here.
“We didn’t intimidate anybody, but when persuasion fails, force is applied. Indeed, we are at Asomdwee Park but when we talk to you and you don’t understand, sometimes a little bit of encouragement will make you move,” he added.
Mr. Atta Mills also alleged that Mr. Anyidoho was receiving support from some people, who in his view were politically powerful.
He, however, said that political power has an expiration date which would end some day and, therefore, advised him not to hide behind that political power.
Sister of former President Atta Mills, Mercy Araba Ahema Quarshie, addressing the incident also described it as ‘ugly’ and ‘disgusting’, as people who came with Koku Anyidoho were not family members.
The late President Mills, popularly called ‘Asomdweehene’, died 12 years ago at the 37 Military Hospital in Accra after a short illness at the age of 68.
But the former Deputy General Secretary of the NDC, who was known as one of the firebrands of the party during the Mills’ administration, has since fallen apart with the leadership of the NDC following the death of President Mills.
On July 27, 2021, the former Deputy General Secretary of the NDC was expelled from the party for various offences and misconduct in a letter signed by the former General Secretary of the party, Asiedu Nketia.
But there seems to be unending verbal exchanges between and the leadership of the NDC and Samuel Koku Anyidoho, following the establishment of the Atta Mills Leadership Institute in Accra.
Samuel Atta Mills, brother of the late President and his family, has on several occasions had altercations with individuals including Koku Anyidoho, for desecrating the tomb, while efforts were also made to prevent some members of the NDC from visiting the tomb.
By Ebenezer K. Amponsah