List of likely successors to Haruna Iddrisu, Muntaka as leaders of Minority bench pops up

The National Democratic Congress is facing a very difficult time as the party struggles to put itself together in the wake of what its base considers as betrayal from the party’s Members of Parliament following the approval of nominees of President Akufo-Addo.

General Secretary of the party yesterday hinted that the public should expect some leadership reshuffle at the parliament level after he himself grabbed a parliamentary service board appointment which coincided with the approval of Ken Ofori-Atta as Finance Minister.

The NDC in the next few days is set to invite nominations from the various regional caucuses of the party in parliament.

MyNewsGh.com is aware that some senior MPs have already started intense lobbying while some regional caucuses, especially the Volta Regional Parliamentary caucus starting to put their members on the alert for re-consideration of the candidature of Hon. James Klutse Avedzi who narrowly missed the job to Haruna Iddrisu in 2017 and was made a deputy.

Although Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has not expressed any interest, his name is expected to come under consideration for a deputy or the whip.

Other names that have been mentioned include Collins Dauda, a former Minister of Lands and Natural Resources and a former Brong Ahafo Regional Chair of the NDC.

Those pushing for Collins Dauda to be seriously considered say his strength as a former Regional Chairman of the party a minister as well as a long-serving MP gives him the requisite qualities and maturity necessary to balance the interest of the party and the execution of MPs’ duties in Parliament on the minority caucus.

For the Volta Region, this will be the second time the Volta Caucus of the party is pushing for the former the Chairman of the Finance Committee of Parliament and Member of Parliament for Ketu North, James Klutse Avedzi to become Minority Leader.

In 2017, making a case for his election, then Member of Parliament for the Keta Constituency, Richard Quarshigah argued that Mr. Avedzi is the most qualified MP to lead the NDC ahead of persons like Haruna Iddrisu.

Mr. Quarshigah said the NDC needs a strong, highly principled person to put the then-incoming government on its toes; a skill he sees in Mr. Avedzi, not Haruna Iddrisu.

“Avedzi for instance has been the chairman of the Finance Committee for eight years, and he has demonstrated himself in a very excellent and appreciable manner on that committee. People on the other side tried to torpedo a lot of business from the government but as chairman, he was very astute and resolute. Avedzi is very deep and reflective. He is one who appears to be a unifier,” he said.

“The various regional caucuses were asked to submit preferred names for the leadership for the seventh Parliament and then the Volta Regional Caucus submitted the name of James Klutse Avedzi, and I’m sure other regions have done same. It is not as if Richard Qaurshigah is out there insisting that the leadership must be from the Volta Region, no. I believe strongly that all the names that have been submitted by the various regional caucuses will be deliberated upon and there would be a meeting with the MPs elect. I would also imagine that there would be consultation with very important stakeholders such as the outgoing president and leader of the party, council of elders,” he added.

Beyond Haruna Iddrisu and Avdezi, Collins Dauda, Cletus Avoka, Rashid Pelpuo and Mahama Ayariga, Okudzeto Ablakwa and Comfort D. Ghansah are some of the names that could potentially unseat Haruna Iddrisu.