Political scientist Akwesi Amakye Boateng has dismissed 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, Dr. Boateng said recent comments and reactions involving the two senior party figures should not be interpreted as signs of deep divisions within the governing party.
“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 remarks follow growing public discussion over what some political observers have described as subtle tensions within the NDC as the party begins positioning itself ahead of the 2028 general elections.
Addressing concerns about the potential impact of internal disagreements on the party’s future prospects, Dr. Boateng said competition and differing interests are normal features of political organisations, particularly during election periods.
“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 disagreements only become problematic when party leaders and supporters fail to manage their conduct responsibly.
Dr. Boateng further argued that discussions surrounding possible factionalism within the NDC remain largely speculative, since no official ambitions or positions have been publicly declared by the individuals involved.
“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 added.
The comments come against the backdrop of ongoing conversations within the 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, Haruna Iddrisu appeared to take an indirect swipe at a separate nationwide “Thank You Tour” being undertaken by Johnson Asiedu Nketia.
Mr. Iddrisu reportedly described President Mahama’s engagement with party supporters as the “proper” thank-you tour, contrasting it with what he referred to as a “curtain-raiser” exercise.
The developments follow recent comments by Asiedu Nketia defending the NDC’s controversial 2023 parliamentary leadership reshuffle, which saw Cassiel Ato Forson replace Haruna Iddrisu as Minority Leader.
According to the NDC Chairman, the reshuffle was a strategic decision intended to strengthen the party’s chances in the 2024 general elections, despite creating internal tensions and generating criticism from some supporters.
Asiedu Nketia also revealed that he later advocated for both Haruna Iddrisu and Muntaka Mubarak to receive key appointments under President Mahama’s administration following the NDC’s return to power.