The Founding President and Chief Executive Officer of IMANI Centre for Policy and Education, Franklin Cudjoe, says the reshuffle in the Minority leadership will not be changed.
He believes the national hierarchy of the opposition National Democratic Congress may apologise for the row that greeted the announcement but will not reserve it.
“I read the sense of settlement and the decision will stand. In actual fact, what is being called for which is negotiations, discussions, conversations or consultations, will lead to one thing– Let’s just allow this to play out, we are sorry about the way it was done, it wasn’t done properly and all that. But I do not see the decision being reversed. The conversation now is about massaging egos and ensuring that the right thing is done. I don’t see the decision reversed at all,” the IMANI President told Selorm Adonoo on The Big Issue on Citi TV/Citi FM.
Mr. Cudjoe asserted that the outgoing Minority leadership should be proud of offering some training to some members of the caucus including the newly appointed leader, Cassiel Ato Forson.
He said: “I have got to admit that change is not necessarily that bad. And in this specific instance, Haruna Iddrisu, Muntaka and Avedzi, should be proud that they have shepherded some members of their own caucus that could now take up the mantle, and then go forward with it”.
He said the arguments by the National Chairman, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, that the selection of Ato Forson was based on his expertise in economic issues will not wash.
Mr. Cudjoe argued that the outgoing minority leadership are equally vested in that area as well.
“I’m not entirely sure about the economic arguments advanced by the chairman of the party. Because I have seen the handwork of Haruna, Afedzi and Muntaka and I think they are pretty well-vest in understanding economic issues, probably better at explaining the economic phenomena than my good friend Ato Forson himself. So I’m not entirely sure about making those strong arguments about the economy. Let’s leave it at that. I think the competencies of these new gentlemen are not in doubt,” Mr. Cudjoe pointed out.
The IMANI President noted that the new minority leadership will stand on the shoulders of the outgoing leadership to push the party’s agenda.
“They [new leadership] will be standing on the giant shoulders of Haruna and Muntaka to push forward the agenda of the party,” he emphasised.
Mr. Cudjoe advised the new minority leader to preach unity by bringing party members and his colleagues in parliament together for a common goal of being a probable alternative for Ghanaians in the 2024 polls.
“The party should be seen as united, and as a probable alternative, the party must be seen as one that belongs to all and not necessarily to a few,” he stated.
The NDC earlier this week reshuffled its leadership in Parliament replacing Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu with Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson.
Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, MP for Ellembelle also replaced Ketu North MP, James Klutse Avedzi as the Deputy Minority Leader while Kwame Governs Agbodza replaced Asawase MP, Muntaka Mubarak as the Minority Chief Whip.
Some MPs signed a petition to reject the decision of the party. Another set of MPs also petitioned the leadership of the NDC to ignore calls for the reshuffling to be reversed.
The Council of Elders of the party in a statement on January 28, 2023, admonished the aggrieved members of the party, MPs and party leadership to refrain from further public pronouncements.