NDC National Chairman Johnson Asiedu Nketia has dismissed suggestions that his recent thank-you tour across the country was a campaign for a potential 2028 presidential bid, insisting he was rather resolving grievances within the party.

Speaking on PM Express with Evans Mensah on JoyNews, Mr Asiedu Nketiah said critics who made such claims were either ignorant about how a political party is run or simply being mischievous.

"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 votes? It is work that ought to be done. And I'll continue doing it," he said.

He explained that as national chairman, his primary duty is to govern the party and rein in members to support the government to perform.

"In fact, 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 stated.

The NDC chairman revealed that there were simmering tensions within the party over appointments, recruitment slots and other issues, with some members even threatening to demonstrate against their own government.

"So, if I sit there as national chairman, and I hear that party people are disgruntled about ABC appointments, recruitment slots and other things and people are even trying to organise demonstrations against our own government, I sit there to fold my arms. I will be a stupid chairman," he said.

"So, I thought that I should go down there and quench the fires. And so far I'm happy that once I went round, all the quiet fires were quenched," he added.

Mr Asiedu Nketiah strongly rejected the notion that the tour was about self-promotion, pointing out that he is already widely known across the country.

"Did you hear me saying anything about myself? Everything I said was streamed live. Did you hear me making a sentence about myself and what I intended to do? No," he said.

"Those who are worried may think that, oh, the more he goes round, the more people see and know him. But 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," he added.

He argued that if the purpose was self-promotion, he would not have wasted time, effort and money on the tour.

"So, if it is about myself, I wouldn't have wasted my time and effort and money to go and do that. Because everybody knows me," he said.

Mr Asiedu Nketiah said the tour was about advising party members on the challenges they face, including explaining why certain expectations could not be met.

"I rather advise party members that there is this challenge, there is that challenge, you are not getting this one because of this, so exercise patience. Let's do this this way. It is not possible for everybody," he said.

He said he will continue to reach out to party members wherever there is a need, regardless of the criticisms.

"Anywhere I feel there is a need to reach out to party members and then deliver the right messages, I'll not be listening to those who are making that noise at all. I'll do my work because if that work never gets done, I am the first to be blamed," he stated.