National Chairman of the NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, has dismissed suggestions that his nationwide thank-you tour was a covert campaign to position himself for the party's 2028 presidential race. Speaking on JoyNews' PM Express on Tuesday, he insisted the exercise was purely part of his responsibility as chairman.
Asiedu Nketiah Denies Presidential Ambitions
Asiedu Nketiah brushed aside claims that the tour was designed to project his presidential ambitions, describing those making such allegations as either uninformed or deliberately mischievous. He argued that if the tour had been a campaign, it would naturally have been followed by an election. "Those who said that were either ignorant about how a party is run, or they were simply being mischievous," he said.
The National Chairman explained that his duty as National Chairman is to keep the party united and ensure members support the government, especially since he does not head a ministry. He added that his intervention became necessary after reports of growing frustrations among party supporters over appointments, recruitment, and other concerns. "I thought that I should go down there and quench the fires, and so far, I'm happy that once I went around, all the fires were quenched," he said.
Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu Takes a Swipe
Responding to comments by Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu, who had referred to President John Mahama's visit to the Northern Region as "a proper thank-you tour" rather than "the other thank-you tour," Asiedu Nketiah declined to escalate the matter. "I don't know about that, but even if he was referring to me, it means he got everything wrong on that occasion," he said.
Haruna Iddrisu's comment was seen as a swipe at Asiedu Nketiah, with some interpreting it as a veiled reference to the National Chairman's own thank-you tour. However, Asiedu Nketiah chose not to engage in public fights with party members simply because they disagreed with him.
Asiedu Nketiah Defends His Tour
Asiedu Nketiah maintained that his duty as National Chairman is to keep the party united and ensure members support the government. He argued that his tour focused on urging party members to remain patient over appointments and recruitment while explaining the realities facing the government. He also said the tour fulfilled a promise he made during the 2024 election campaign, when he visited villages to canvass support for NDC parliamentary candidates.
Asiedu Nketiah also questioned the logic behind claims that he needed a nationwide tour to become more visible. "Who in this party is better known than Asiedu Nketiah? So what is the need to go and show yourself for people to see that you are Asiedu Nketiah? Who doesn't know me? Everybody knows me," he said.
The National Chairman's response has been seen as a clear message that he will not be deterred by criticism or opposition from within the party. Asiedu Nketiah's determination to continue serving the party and its members will likely be closely watched in the coming months.
Source: Joy Online
