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 of the party led by the former Regional Minister, Antwi Boasiako Sekyere, from touring constituencies in the region to campaign against former President John Dramani Mahama.
The party has vowed to crush any group that is seeking to prevent the former President’s comeback for the 2024 presidential election.
According to DAILY GUIDE sources, the message being carried by the ex-Regional Minister and his group is that the party is at risk of another defeat if they foist Mr. Mahama on the rank and file once again.
Illegal Move
The Regional Executives have issued a statement asking the group to stop what they called their illegal activities, but did not directly say it was because of the former President that they took such an action.
Antwi Boasiako Sekyere does not appear to be in the good books of the former President after he was changed as Eastern Regional Minister and replaced with his deputy Mavis Ama Frempong.
Before being appointed Regional Minister, Mr. Boasiako Sekyere who currently chairs the Regional Council of Elders, was Deputy Minister for Employment and Labour Relations in the same NDC regime.
In 2018 when the NDC was preparing to select its flagbearer, which Mr. Mahama eventually won convincingly, Mr. Boasiako Sekyere supported former KMA boss Kojo Bonsu, who dropped out of the race as that election approached.
Ahead of the 2024 showdown, Mr. Boasiako Sekyere has been holding alleged anti-Mahama meetings in the constituencies, but it is unclear the candidate he is throwing his weight behind.
Even though no party official has openly declared to contest the upcoming NDC presidential primaries apart from the former President, his contenders are working behind the scenes to challenge him for 2024.
Regional Secretariat
The Regional Secretariat issued a statement signed by the Regional Secretary Cudjoe Adukpo yesterday saying “Mr. Antwi Boasiako Sekyere, others must immediately abort their alien tour of the Eastern Region.”
“The Eastern Regional Secretariat of the National Democratic Congress has become aware of a supposed tour of the region by a group spearheaded by Mr. Antwi Boasiako Sekyere, a former Regional Minister,” the statement said, adding that “from our checks, the team has so far been to Okere, Nsawam-Adoagyiri, Nkawkaw, Mpraeso and Abetifi constituencies even after being engaged informally and being asked to suspend such engagements.
“Moreover, the Eastern Regional Cadres front, in an official letter to the Regional Secretariat, has denied knowledge of such programme. We wish to categorically state that, the said tour is alien to the Regional Executive Committee, since no such proposal has been brought to our attention for consideration.”
Provoking Anarchy
The statement further said that “our checks from the National Secretariat also indicates the said tour does not have the endorsement of the party’s Functional Executive Committee (FEC),” adding “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.”
It said “we are therefore, calling on Mr. Antwi Boasiako Sekyere and his team to immediately halt the tour as same is brewing serious tension at the party’s base – the branch level. As a senior party man who currently chairs the Regional Council of Elders, Mr. Antwi Boasiako Sekyere should be mindful of the fact that the party has structures and as such, should not embark on activities that undermine same.”
The statement again said that “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,” and warned that “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.
“The secretariat is focused on re-organising the party in accordance with FEC’s directives, hence, will not condone any distraction and acts that may disunite our base.”
From Daniel Bampoe, Koforidua