Senior Lecturer and Senior Research Fellow at the Kumasi Technical University’s Institute of Research, Innovation and Development Dr. Smart Sarpong has predicted re-election for Samuel Ofosu Ampofo and Joshua Akamba as the National Chairman and National Organiser respectively at the 10th National Delegates Congress of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The Congress, which is to be hosted at the Accra Sports Stadium on Saturday, December 17, will bring together about 9,000 delegates and several supporters of the NDC party across the world to elect national executive members who will lead the party into the 2024 general elections and steer the affairs of the party for the next four years.
Dr Sarpong told Helen Appiah Ampofo in an interview on 3FM Sunrise morning show that in his estimation, the decision of Mr. Johnson Asiedu Nketia to contest the chairmanship was wrong and has been quite destructive to the unity of the NDC.
“To be frank, in my view, the decision by General Secretary Johnson Asiedu Nketia to contest the chairmanship was not going to be good for the party.
“As we can see, it has rather led to things that we all didn’t expect to hear coming out. The party head office was relatively peaceful until this competition came in,” Dr. Sarpong opined.
Johnson Asiedu Nketia, who is the incumbent General Secretary, is contesting the incumbent chairman.
Other contenders for the chairmanship are Nii Armah Ashiety, a former Member of Parliament, and Samuel Yaw Adusei.
“I will be very surprised if Samuel Ofusu Ampofo does not retain his position,” the senior research fellow and professional statistician stated.
Another position that is keenly contested is the General Secretary with three strong candidates including Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, a former Minister of Youth and Sports, Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, a former Deputy Minister of Finance, and Dr. Peter Boamah Otokunor, the incumbent Deputy General Secretary.
Though he admits it is very difficult to predict who could win the General Secretary contest, Dr. Sarpong conveniently predicted a re-election for the incumbent National Organiser, Joshua Akamba, who is being contested by six others.
It could be recalled that the predictions of Dr. Smart Sarpong and his research team in the lead-up to the regional and national executive elections of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) this year has been described as the most accurate elections predictions in Ghana ever.
By Samuel Afriyie Owusu|3news.com|Ghana