The Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, has defended the party’s controversial 2023 reshuffle of its parliamentary leadership, insisting the move was a calculated strategy that contributed significantly to the party’s sweeping victory in the 2024 general elections.
Speaking in Tamale, Mr. Nketiah said the decision to change the leadership structure in Parliament was driven by electoral necessity, even though it initially faced resistance, including from President John Dramani Mahama.
He described the period as one that required tough and sometimes unpopular decisions to reposition the party for success.
“New things were emerging and I said that we have to change the forward line of Parliament, otherwise it will be difficult for us to win the election,” he said.
Positioning himself as the key architect of the strategy, Mr. Nketiah likened his role to that of a team coach making decisive tactical changes.
“You have elected me as Chairman of this party. I am the coach of the party going into the election, so let me make the changes that will win us the election,” he recounted telling party leadership.
The January 2023 shake-up saw then Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu replaced by Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, alongside other leadership adjustments that brought in figures such as Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah and Kwame Agbodza into new parliamentary roles.
The move triggered intense internal debate within the party at the time, with critics arguing that it risked deepening divisions ahead of the polls. Mr. Nketiah acknowledged the personal strain the decision caused within longstanding relationships.
“There was hell, and people started thinking that somebody who has been my friend for more than 20 years has suddenly become my enemy,” he said, maintaining that the decision was purely strategic and not personal.
Despite the tensions, Mr. Nketiah said the reforms ultimately paid off, pointing to the NDC’s decisive victory in the 2024 elections as validation of the approach. He also revealed that after the win, he supported efforts to reintegrate previously affected figures into government.
He said he advised President Mahama to appoint both Haruna Iddrisu and Muntaka Mohammed Mubarak into senior government positions, a recommendation the President accepted.
Both officials were subsequently appointed to key roles in the new administration.
Reflecting on the scale of the victory, the NDC Chairman expressed confidence in the party’s performance.
“We went into the election and we won. Have you seen such victory in Ghana since the beginning of the Fourth Republic?”
He also cautioned against emerging factionalism within the party, warning that internal groupings based on personalities could undermine unity.
“If you are forming groups , Haruna groups, Asiedu Nketiah groups, that is not our case. The NDC will continue to be one,” he declared.
