…Tells mischievous Adom-Otchere to back off
By Gifty Boateng
A rare public intervention by National Democratic Congress (NDC) founding member Ato Ahwoi has reignited debate over internal party discipline and media influence, following attempts to float potential successors to President John Dramani Mahama less than a year into his second term.
Speaking via phone on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana, Ahwoi issued a stern caution to party members and sympathisers, urging restraint in entertaining succession narratives until 2027 consistent with the party’s constitutional timeline for selecting a flagbearer.
His comments were triggered by a televised discussion led by broadcaster Paul Adom-Otchere, who introduced polling data suggesting Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu as the frontrunner to succeed Mahama.
Ahwoi’s intervention was pointed and personal. He accused Adom-Otchere of deliberately derailing the programme’s agenda to sow discord within the governing party.
“He is on a mischief assignment,” Ahwoi charged, adding that the broadcaster’s actions were designed to provoke unnecessary tension between senior party figures such as Party Chairman, Asiedu Nketia and Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah.
The programme’s panel, including former MP Edwin Nii Lante Vanderpujie, corroborated Ahwoi’s concerns, revealing that the original agenda had focused on education policy and administrative reshuffles.
The sudden pivot to succession politics was viewed as a calculated move to destabilise the party’s cohesion.
Ahwoi’s critique extended beyond the immediate broadcast. He recalled past encounters with Adom-Otchere during the Mills administration, alleging that the broadcaster had sought political appointments and maintained close ties with opposition figures.
“Paul knows I know the things I am talking about,” Ahwoi said, framing the broadcaster’s current posture as opportunistic and partisan.
Adom-Otchere, in response, acknowledged his longstanding relationship with Ahwoi but denied seeking appointments. He described himself as a “political animal” with interests across party lines, while defending his admiration for President Akufo-Addo’s political legacy.
Ahwoi’s central argument was that premature succession talk risks undermining Mahama’s governance agenda. “He has done only nine months,” Ahwoi said, warning that speculation could fracture the unity of Mahama’s appointees and distract from policy delivery.
He urged the party to adhere to its established tradition of selecting leadership closer to the election cycle, citing the precedent of Atta Mills and Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang.
The elder statesman’s remarks reflect broader anxieties within the NDC about media manipulation and factionalism. His call for discipline and focus is likely to resonate with party loyalists wary of external interference and internal fragmentation.
The controversy stems from a Global Info Analytics survey that placed Haruna Iddrisu ahead of other potential contenders. While the poll was published in the press, its introduction into the Metro TV segment was viewed by Ahwoi as a deliberate provocation. He warned that such tactics, if left unchecked, could derail the party’s strategic planning and embolden rival factions.
Ahwoi’s intervention signals a desire among senior NDC figures to insulate the party from premature political jockeying and media sensationalism. With three and a half years remaining in Mahama’s term, the message is clear: governance first, succession later.