Political scientist, Dr. Akwesi Amakye Boateng, has downplayed suggestions of growing tension between Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu and National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia.

Speaking in an interview on Joy FM's Midday News, he said recent comments and reactions attributed to the two leading members of the party should not be interpreted as signs of serious division within the NDC.

“Actually, I wouldn’t say that it represents a situation coming up in the party. It’s an issue Haruna had to respond to, and I think his response was captured nicely in a light tone, and the party will move on. I don’t think there is anything brewing,” he stated on Monday, May 25.

His comments come amid public discussions over what some political observers describe as subtle tensions within the party as it begins preparations for the 2028 general elections.

Responding to concerns about whether such exchanges could affect the party’s fortunes going forward, Dr. Boateng said internal competition and differing interests are common in political parties, especially as elections approach.

“The issue of elections in political parties always brings in what I call normal cracks, normal divisions in political parties. It is normal because competition means you need to choose between one person and another. So, you will have people supporting person A or person B,” he explained.

According to him, such divisions only become dangerous when individuals leading different factions fail to manage their conduct properly.

Dr. Boateng further noted that discussions about possible internal contestations within the NDC remain largely speculative, as no official positions or ambitions have been publicly declared by the individuals being discussed.

“They have not necessarily come out to present themselves to the Ghanaian public. All we know comes from Mr. Mussa Dankwah’s work. So, I think we want to take our time and see things unfold. The NDC has been around for quite a long time, so they know how to manage such issues. I don’t expect anything serious to come out of that,” he said.

Background

The comments follow ongoing discussions within the governing NDC over the party’s parliamentary leadership reshuffle ahead of the 2024 elections and subsequent post-election appreciation tours.

Speaking during President John Dramani Mahama’s tour of the Savannah Region on May 22, Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu appeared to take an indirect swipe at a separate nationwide “Thank You Tour” being undertaken by NDC National Chairman Johnson Asiedu Nketia. Mr Iddrisu described President Mahama’s engagement with supporters as the “proper” thank-you tour, contrasting it with what he referred to as a “curtain-raiser” tour.

The remarks come after Mr Asiedu Nketia recently defended the NDC’s controversial 2023 parliamentary leadership reshuffle, which saw Mr Iddrisu replaced as Minority Leader by Cassiel Ato Forson. According to the NDC Chairman, the changes were strategic and necessary to improve the party’s chances in the 2024 elections, although they created internal tension and were misunderstood by some supporters.

Mr Asiedu Nketia also disclosed that, despite the reshuffle, he advocated for Mr Iddrisu and Muntaka Mubarak to receive key appointments under President Mahama’s administration following the NDC’s return to power in the 2024 general elections.