Antwi Boasiako speaking at one of the cadres meeting
The Eastern Regional Secretariat of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has stopped a group of cadres led by former Regional Minister, Antwi Boasiako Sekyere from touring Constituencies in the Region for campaigning against former President John Mahama.
Already Mr. Mahama has declared his intention of coming back to contest the 2024 presidential election for the third time after suffering humiliating defeats in 2016 and 2020.
Even though aside from him, no party official has openly declared to contest the upcoming presidential primaries of the party, but some of Mr. Mahama’s former contenders are working behind the scenes to get the nod.
Due to that, the former Eastern Regional Minister, also a cadre in the party, Antwi Boasiako, who happens to be one of the defeated aspirants campaign team member last week started embarking on a secret campaign tour in the region preaching the gospel of his candidate.
However, the Regional Secretariat of the party, who felt rattled, through an order quickly moved to stop the ongoing cadres tour in the region.
Already the cadres since last week have so far been to Okere, Nsawam-Adoagyiri, Nkawkaw, Mpraeso, and Abetifi constituencies after they were warned by the Regional Executives to suspend such engagements.
The Regional Secretary of NDC, Kudjo Adukpo in a statement reacting to the campaign tour said “The said tour is alien to the Regional executive committee since no such proposal has been brought to our attention for consideration”.
According to the Regional Secretariat, “Our checks from the National Secretariat also indicate the said tour does not have the endorsement of the party’s Functional Executive Committee. We are also worried about the content of the message these elders are sharing across since it has the potential to provoke others and create anarchy”.
The statement continued “As a senior party man who currently chairs the Regional Council of Elders, Mr. Antwi Bosiako Sekyere should be mindful of the fact that the party has structures and as such, shouldn’t embark on activities that undermine same.
The party claimed, “Also, the deliberate invitation of branch executives and cadres to attend the said meeting in all the constituencies visited, without notifying Constituency Executive Committees, thus far casts doubt on the genuineness of the intention behind this illegal tour”.
The Regional Secretariat of the NDC “failure to halt the tour, the regional secretariat will be left with no other option than to trigger the party’s disciplinary process and other obtrusive actions to stop them from further engagements.
They noted that they are focused on re-organizing the party by FEC’s directives, hence, will not condone any distraction and acts that may disunite our base” the statement indicated.
BY Daniel Bampoe