Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, National Chairman of the NDC, has firmly rejected claims that his nationwide thank-you tour was a disguised campaign to position himself for the party’s 2028 presidential race.

Speaking on JoyNews’ PM Express on Tuesday, he described such suggestions as either the product of ignorance or mischief, insisting the tour was part of his responsibility as national chairman to keep the governing party united and focused.

“Those who said that were either ignorant about how a party is run, or they were simply being mischievous,” he said.

Mr Asiedu Nketiah argued that if the tour had been a campaign, there would have been an election to follow.

“If I was campaigning, at the end of every campaign, what happens? Elections. Since I finished three months ago, have they brought the ballot paper for us to cast the vote?” he asked.

He maintained that his primary responsibility was to strengthen the party and ensure members supported the NDC government, particularly at a time when frustrations over appointments and recruitment were beginning to grow.

“My duty as party chairman, who is not directly running a ministry, is to make sure that I govern the party and rein party members in to support the government to perform,” he said.

He explained that reports of disgruntled party supporters and attempts to organise demonstrations against the government demanded intervention.

“If I sit there as national chairman and I hear that party people are disgruntled about appointments, recruiting slots and other things, and people were even trying to organise demonstrations against our own government, I sit there to fold my arms, I’ll be a stupid chairman.”

According to him, the tour achieved its objective.

“I thought that I should go down there and quench the fires, and so far, I’m happy that once I went around, all the fires were quenched.”

Responding directly to suggestions that the tour was designed to project him as a presidential hopeful, Mr Asiedu Nketiah dismissed the claim, insisting he never used the platform to promote himself.

“If I want to project myself, it will not be through a thank-you tour, because did you hear me saying anything about myself?” he asked.

He noted that all his engagements were broadcast live and challenged critics to point to any statement in which he promoted a presidential ambition.

He also argued that there was little sense in embarking on a nationwide tour simply to make himself more visible.

“Ask yourself, who in this party is better known than Asiedu Nketiah? So what is the need to go and show yourself for people to see that you are Asiedu Nketiah? Who doesn’t know me? Everybody knows me.”

Instead, he said his message throughout the tour focused on urging patience among party supporters over appointments and recruitment while explaining the realities facing the government.

Mr Asiedu Nketiah also said the tour fulfilled a promise he made during the 2024 election campaign when he visited villages to canvass votes for NDC parliamentary candidates.

“I went to the villages and asked them to vote for us, and promised them that after the voting, I’ll come and thank them.”

Addressing criticism that the tour encroached on the President’s role, including comments attributed to Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu, the NDC Chairman declined to escalate the matter.

“I don’t know about that, but even if he was referring to me, it means he got everything wrong on that occasion,” he said.

He added that as party chairman, his role was not to engage in public fights with party members over such comments.