North Tongu lawmaker Samuel Okudzeto Ablawa has said that the rank and file of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) have the right to be upset following the approval of the ministers they deemed unfit to be appointed by the NDC caucus in the legislature.

He however prayed that the destruction will not lead to implosion of the party.

The statement comes after supporters of the NDC expressed disappointment in the NDC caucus for approving some of the ministerial nominees of President Akufo-Addo who they thought do not qualify to be ministers.

Following the approval of all the ministers vetted by the Appointments Committee of Parliament, National Communications Officer of the NDC Sammy Gyamfi indicated that the party has been been betrayed by the Speaker of Parliament Mr Alban Bagbin and the leadership of the NDC caucus in the House.
Sammy Gyamfi said Mr Bagbin, the Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu and Member of Parliament for Asawase Muntaka Mubaraka brazenly defied the leadership of the party and betrayed “the collective good for their selfish interest.”

The reason for his comments are unclear.

In a Facebook post, Mr Gyamfi said “Comrades, the betrayal we have suffered in the hands of the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin, the leadership of our Parliamentary group, particularly Hon. Haruna Iddrissu and Hon. Muntaka Mubarak, and dozens of our own MPs, is what strengthens me to work hard for the great NDC to regain power.

“They brazenly defied the leadership of the party and betrayed the collective good for their selfish interest. And we, must not let them succeed in their parochial quest to destroy the NDC, the party that has done so much for them and all of us. The shame they have brought on the party will forever hang like an albatross around their necks.
“These are hard times for all of us but we should not let the betrayal of a few quench our love for the great NDC. Rather, let it strengthen us to fight for this party. We all have an equal stake in this party. They are few, we are many. Some have sold their conscience but ours is intact. And we, can work together to rebuild the party from the ashes of 3rd March, 2021, which I call “Black Wednesday ”- Our day of self-inflicted shame.

“This is the time for us to insist on the right changes in the leadership of the NDC group in Parliament or forget about them completely. The current leadership have lost their moral authority to lead and are not fit to sit on the front bench of the NDC side of the house. More importantly, it’s about time we understood, that we don’t have any NDC Speaker of Parliament. No we don’t! We have a Speaker who rode on the back of the NDC into Office to pursue his own parochial agenda and nothing more. You trust them, at your own peril.

“The hypocrites can choose to remain quiet or even condemn us for speaking up, so they can remain in the good books of the renegades. But I and all who are pained by this act of betrayal will not keep quiet, because we don’t fear anyone and don’t wish to be in their good books. If they can defy the party leadership and interest openly and subject all of us to public ridicule, then they can and must also be called out openly. The NDC party is supreme and it must be cleansed.

“Speak up, we can and must! And let nobody stand in our way. But, when all is said and done, let’s work for the NDC with all our might and strength. Quench not your love for the party. Hope must not die. This storm shall pass. The NDC will survive and shall bounce back stronger for victory. So I say to you, be strong!”

But in a tweet, Mr Ablakwa said “Surely let us vent but may it not be destructive and may it not lead to an implosion of the great NDC.”
Meanwhile, the Leadership and entire Parliamentary caucus of the NDC in parliament NDC has said in a statement signed by Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu on Friday March 5 that the Caucus remains loyal to the base.

“The past few days have been the most difficult for the NDC Minority Caucus in Parliament following the approval of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s nominees for ministerial appointments.
“Justifiably, the party’s base and grassroots are unhappy and in some instances have had cause to reject and even condemn the decision of the House to approve the three nominees that went through voting. For many, it is unimaginable how they could pass the test in the hands of the same Minority that secured them a Speaker of Parliament from an opposite Party in the Executive on the 7th January 2021.”

It added “The Leadership and entire Parliamentary caucus of the NDC wishes to reiterate our commitment to the cause of the great National Democratic Congress. We expressly reaffirm our resolve to hold the Akufo-Addo government to account over the coming days, months and years for their stewardship to the Ghanaian people. This is nonnegotiable.

“You may be disappointed in this outcome but we will not disappoint or let you down in the future. The Caucus has never been and would never be for sale. We categorically deny all allegations of influence or favour as a consideration for the approvals in the House.

“It is important to note that we are parties of equal strength with; NDC 137 and NPP 137+1, how we wish we had just 140. We acted in accordance with our oath of office and in good faith and conscience. We hold dearly our founding principles of probity, accountability and social justice in our every engagement on behalf of our Party.

“The Caucus remains loyal to our base and wishes to call for restraint and calm. We ask all NDC faithful to have faith in the Caucus leadership as we navigate our path to recapturing the Presidency in 2024. The Caucus would lead the vanguard with the support of our loyal grassroots. May we always be reminded that the things which bind us as comrades far outweigh whatever may divide us.

“We pray for calm nerves even as leadership at all levels continue to offer us direction towards our coming victory. Be assured that the Caucus is still the Caucus of the 6/7th January 2021 that achieved the unthinkable feat of electing the Rt. Hon. Alban S.K. Bagbin as Speaker.
“Let’s keep the faith. May we all be measured in our utterances as we seek to rise together. God bless the great NDC.”