The results of the just ended elections of the National Youth Organiser (NYO) and National Women’s Organiser (NOW) for opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) points to sharp divisions at the youths and women’s fronts of the party.
Out of a total valid votes, cast 1043, the incumbent NYO, George Opare-Addo, popularly known as Pablo polled 533, while his immediate challenger, Brogya Genfi polled 108 ballots.
For the women, incumbent NOW, Hanna Bisiw polled 433 votes while her closest challenger, Margaret Ansei, popularly called Magoo polled 362 votes.
Even before the polls, signs were clear that not a huge majority of the youth and women were satisfied with the delivery of the two incumbent organizers when it comes to the mobilization of their respective constituencies ie, the youth and women’s constituencies.
“This afternoon, I met with my Brother and Comrade, Brogya Genfi to discuss the future of our beloved Party and the youth front. I am convinced without any doubt that Brogya carries the right drive and fire to hold the irresponsible and incompetent Akufo-Addo government to account.”
Those were the words in a Facebook post by no other person than energetic and fearless Sam George Nartey, Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram on November 7.
He added in that post that “Arise NDC Youth for the task at hand is huge but I believe, together, under the leadership of Brogya, we can achieve victory 2024 for John Mahama.”
Allegations subsequently popped up that someone or some leaders had been trying to muscle out the Tertiary Educational Institutions Network (TEIN), a large pool of youth under the NDC from participating in the youth elections.
So fierce have the campaign laced with innuendos on social media that another party youth, Yayra Koku had to issue a caution for people to tone down since it was an internal contest after which they would need everybody on board the party’s campaign to unseat the moribund New Patriotic Party (NPP) government.
If the acrimony before the elections were nauseating, then Monday, just two days after the polls held at the University of Cape Coast, held surprises in store for followers of the party as alleged supporters of Opare Addo took Brogya Genfi to the cleaners, with some describing him as a traitor who had worked with FONKAR (Friends of Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings).
Political watchers believe that such unhealthy developments could widen the chasm between the two sides of the party’s youth in this game of numbers called party politics.
Meanwhile, some of the youth also described Opare-Addo as a lazy NYO under whom the party could not mobilize the youth enough to protect the party’s votes during the 2020 elections.
Others also described him as a poodle of Kwabena Duffuor, the former Minister for Finance and central bank governor, an allegation he denied.
Unlike in the past when NDC elders, National Executive Committee and Functional Executive Committee called people to order and peace prevailed, this time around, the task looks quite daunting for the party machineries as with social media, many known and faceless individuals look uncontrollable.
From the flanks, one could see the opposition party arming their rivals with campaign messages in the run-up to the next presidential and general elections.
WOMEN’S ORGANISER
Some females within the opposition party also threw their support behind Margaret Ansei, the former MCE for Suhum, as they believe she could do a better job in mobilising the women than Hanna Bisiw.
From region to region, even as the two leading women went out campaigning the party women came out to support them, making it quite confusing and difficult to project a winner.
Even though some known supporters of Hanna Bisiw attempted to draw the Ansei campaign team into unnecessary feuds, the eloquent former MCE kept her cool and maintained a decorous campaign till the end.
The results with few tens of votes separating Bisiw and Ansei, it is clear that at least a sizeable number of NDC women would prefer the leadership the former Suhum MCE to that of the former deputy agric minister.
The NDC’s ability to reunite the youth and women’s fronts could prove critical to a successful 2024 campaign.
Ashantibiz
