Johnson Asiedu Nketia
GENERAL SECRETARY of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has officially announced he will run for the party’s national chairmanship position against the incumbent, Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo.
Born on December 24, 1956, Mr. Nketia, who is popularly known as General Mosquito, is not bothered about the rivalry that is likely to ensue between him and Mr. Ampofo, saying, “Democracy must bring competition so that the best will emerge.”
According to him, rivalry is part and parcel of democracy, quizzing, “Is there a democracy without rivalry or are we taking a decision to abandon democracy? That thinking is anti-democratic.”
Recently, he stated that the NDC National Chairman position was not the bonafide property of any individual, likewise the General Secretary position, while arguing that he has every right to contest for any position in the party, and that nobody can stop him.
The NDC has scheduled December 17, 2022 to elect its national officers, and Mr. Nketia told Accra FM yesterday that he intended to pick a form when the party opens nomination.
He is of the view that the General Secretary position would not be weakened when he bows out from the chief scribe’s role.
He explained, “I will have to leave some position to fit into another position. I’ve done a good job so the new person will build on what I’ve done. It’s only dictators that don’t want people to take over after them.”
General Mosquito also parried away suggestions that his successor might not be able to perform as he has done, asking, “How do people know I will be better than the future General Secretary when we don’t know who will be occupying that position in future?”
Mr. Nketia has been occupying the NDC General Secretary position since his election in 2005.
Last month, he told Neat FM in an interview he would not seek re-election as General Secretary of the NDC when the party opens nomination.
“I have served in that capacity for 17 years running, and like every politician, I aspire to climb the ladder higher,” he posited.
BY Ernest Kofi Adu