National Chairman of the NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, has dismissed suggestions that his relationship with Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu and Interior Minister Muntaka Mohammed Mubarak suffered.

This was after he publicly explained the circumstances surrounding the party’s unprecedented opposition frontbench reshuffle.

Speaking on JoyNews’ PM Express on Tuesday, Asiedu Nketiah said the three remain close and regularly keep in touch, insisting there is no lingering bitterness over the episode.

His comments follow renewed discussion about the controversial reshuffle that took place while the NDC was in opposition, a move that saw changes to the party’s leadership in Parliament.

The decision was widely debated because such a reshuffle had never before happened while a major political party was in opposition.

Earlier this year, Asiedu Nketiah publicly explained the thinking behind the decision, triggering fresh debate over whether his remarks had offended some of the key figures involved.

Asked whether he regretted speaking openly about the matter, the NDC chairman stood by his comments.

“It doesn’t change the truth, whether some people accept it or not. The truth remains the truth,” he said.

“So me, I always want to stay on the side of truth. Once I say something and it is true, whether you accept it or not, that is it. I’m okay with that. I sleep and sleep well.”

When it was put to him that some people had been hurt by his public remarks, Asiedu Nketiah rejected that suggestion.

“I don’t think that anybody ought to be hurt,” he said, adding that anyone who listened to his full explanation would realise “it was much ado about nothing.”

He explained that his intention had always been to encourage unity within the party rather than deepen divisions.

“Very close. We worked together,” he said when asked about his relationship with Haruna Iddrisu and Muntaka Mohammed.

“In fact, that was the impression I sought to convey internally, and I said that those who are dividing and fighting among themselves here should stop doing that because I’m cool with my junior brothers Haruna and Muntaka, and we are moving together in Accra.”

To reinforce his point, Asiedu Nketiah revealed that he had spoken with Haruna only a day before the interview.

“I can show you my phone, and you will realise that even yesterday I had a conversation with Honourable Haruna. As for Muntaka, any day we talk.”

He also defended the decision to reshuffle the party’s parliamentary leadership, arguing that being the first to take such a step should not make it unacceptable.

“If I believe that this is the right way of achieving my results, I will go for it, even though heaven falls,” he declared.

Asiedu Nketiah acknowledged that Muntaka initially reacted strongly to the decision.

“My brother Muntaka was even more hurt. He said it was a coup.”

However, he said he expected such reactions because difficult decisions often come with temporary pain.

Drawing an analogy with surgery, he said necessary decisions should not be avoided simply because they are uncomfortable.

He revealed that time has healed any differences between them.

“So later today when we meet with Muntaka, we joke about it and then get over.”

He even recounted a light-hearted exchange after Muntaka became Interior Minister.

“When he was appointed Interior Minister, and I congratulated him, I indicated that now you have the power to arrest me, so I beg you not to arrest me. And then he said, before you get to Nsawam, I would have received my announcement that I’m no longer Minister.”