The communication officer for the Tamale South Constituency of the National Democratic Congress has labeled the party's decision to change leadership in Parliament as nauseating and unpleasant.

Mr. Awal Isshahaku told Sompa Tv that the constituency and its enabling environment did not receive the change of the minority leader, Hon Haruna Iddrisu, and other leaders of parliament in the name of NDC in good faith.

According to him, the party supporters feel the timing was wrong considering the changes the party has made in leadership ahead of their preparation for the 2024 elections.

“It wasn't pleasant for them because they saw that no, this is not the time, is not right to do this at this time considering the gains the party has made in terms of our preparation towards the 2024 elections so they saw some of these things that we did especially what the party leadership did yesterday as something that's not good, that's the reason they were gathered in anger,” he told Omanhene.

Reacting to a group calling themselves Concerned Dagbon Youth statement on the maltreatment of Haruna Iddrisu, the communication officer said, the sentiments expressed by the youth are positions they hold and should be considered.

“For sure some of these sentiments, every decision that is taken, individuals have their concerns and should be considered because when we are doing the selection process as a party, we considered the region the person is coming from and tribal balance was also been considered so if individuals coming from Dagbon are making tribal sentiments, it tends to the fact that the proper thing must be done to give Regional balance because 5 regions from the north have no front role leadership in parliament,” he said.

According to him, the Dagbon Youth are just re-echoing the tribal bigotry in the party because of the level of tribal difference among the party hierarchy, a situation he describes as the reason for the massive shakeup in the front runners of the party leadership in parliament.

Mr. Awal accused the party leadership of not considering the regional and tribal balance before changing the minority leader in parliament.

“Check the names, who is from the 5 regions of the north, this is a fact, some of these things we are only re-echoing but it's a statement of fact, that 5 regions from the north, no member of parliament is qualified to sit at the strong bench of the party” why? Are we not voting NDC” our MPS are not qualified to sit at the front role” It’s so nauseating, they should be careful, he cautioned.

He added that the party needs all hands on board including the 5 regions, hence there's the need to do away with individual arrogant decisions.

He shared the view that the signals are bad ahead of the 2024 general elections due to some individual decisions that tend to destroy the party.

Meanwhile:

Some National Democratic Congress (NDC) youth Tuesday afternoon thronged the Tamale Party office at Lamashegu to register their displeasure over the replacement of Mr Haruna Iddrisu, the MP for Tamale South, as the Minority Leader in Parliament.

Dr Casiel Ato Forson, the Member of Parliament for Ajumako-Enyan-Esiam in the Central Region, takes over from Mr Iddrisu to lead the Minority in Parliament when it reconvenes on Tuesday, February 7, 2023.

Many of the youth said the decision was not in the interest of the party and called on the National Executive to reverse it.

Meanwhile, a group calling itself Concerned Dagbon Youth issued a statement saying the decision was ill conceived. 
Signed by Mr Alhassan M. Alhassan, the President of Concerned Dagbon Youth, and copied to the media in Tamale, the statement said the decision would harm the NDC. 

“Mr Haruna Iddrisu represents hope for this group as well as our proud tradition and culture, and we will resist any attempt to derail him,” it said, adding; “We cannot remain silent while Mr Iddrisu is mistreated….”
The statement demanded from the NDC Leadership an explanation on the decision taken.

The NDC, in a letter to the Speaker of Parliament, dated January 23, 2023, said it had made changes to the Leadership of the Minority Caucus in Parliament, replacing Mr Iddrisu with Dr Ato Forson, as the Minority Leader among other changes. 

Source//sompaonline.com//Eric Murphy Asare.