The Council of Elders of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) says there is the need for the party to consider reforms in the way it selects its leaders in Parliament.

In a statement on Monday, the Council said this has become necessary due to the recent tensions in the party, following a change in its parliamentary front.

To prevent future occurrences, the document signed by the Council's Chairperson, Mahama Iddrisu indicated the party's readiness to consider a new framework that will regulate how the party appoints its leaders in the House.

"While recognising that the party leadership was within its rights to make appointments or rotate the leadership of the NDC Caucus in Parliament as has been the case since the inception of the Parliament of the 4th Republic, the Council is of the view that the processes need to be improved”, the statement emphasised.

“Accordingly, the Council noted that in the instant case, the approach, level of consultation, timing as well as the mode and manner of notifying the affected persons could have been better."

“The Council has advised the leadership of the party to as a matter of urgency, accelerate work on the draft framework of rules to guide decisions relating to matters such as the appointment of parliamentary leadership of the party.

“The Council will ensure that this framework is in place within the shortest possible time,” the National Council of Elders further emphasised.

Meanwhile, the Council of Elders says it has resolved the tensions which were created by the recent changes in the party’s leadership in parliament.

According to the party, there is the need for unity to prevail within the rank and file of the NDC, as it readies to wrestle power from the ruling NPP in the 2024 general election.

On that note, the party called on all of its members to remain united as it works together to return to power in next year’s presidential and parliamentary polls.

Background

On Tuesday, January 24, a statement from the party’s General Secretary, Fifi Kwetey, announced Dr Cassiel Ato Forson as the new Minority Leader with Emmanuel Kofi-Armah Buah as the Deputy Minority Leader.

MP for Adaklu, Governs Kwame Agbodza was also named as the party’s new Minority Chief Whip, taking over from Asawase MP, Muntaka Mubarak.

This development has since been met with a lot of resentment from some quarters of the party, including Tamale Central MP, Murtala Mohammed who has questioned the timing and relevance of the change.

Former Deputy General Secretary of the NDC, Koku Anyidoho also took to Twitter to berate the changes.

Later, some displeased members of the party allegedly stormed the premises of Radio Tamale where the party’s Deputy General Secretary was having an interview.

According to the report, the irate party supporters pounced on him and visited harm on his person.

But speaking to ‘JoyNews on Thursday in the wake of the rumours, Mustapha Gbande disclosed that the reports of assault on him are untrue.

According to him, he only addressed the concerned party faithful who came to the premises after which they all left the scene.

Following this, former NDC lawmaker, Ras Mubarak, also took a swipe at the critics of the changes in the parliamentary leadership of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

In a Facebook post, he noted that despite the reservations from some quarters of the party, the changes will not be reversed.

According to him, there is the need for the aggrieved members of the party to suspend their reservations and throw their weight behind the new Miniorty Leader, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson and his team.

This he believes will inure to the greater good of the party in its quest to win the 2024 general election.

The statement from the party’s Council of Elders is therefore expected to bring an end to all the media altercations which the party has described as regrettable.