Mahama may lose in "second world bank"- NDC executive

An aggrieved party executive of the National Democratic Congress has said the party is likely to lose its popularity in the Northern Region in the 2016 presidential elections. Abdul Rauf Abubakar, constituency organiser for Savelugu in the Northern Region said the party leadership has lost touch with the grassroots and that could prove suicidal in the November elections. He said if care is not taken, the president who hails from the north will record one of the most humiliating defeats in the "second world bank" of the party. Rauf Abubakar was part of many disillusioned regional executives of the party who came to Accra to register their protest to the NDC Parliamentary caucus but Parliament had gone on recess.

Rauf Abubakar however said the party could suffer defeat in the Northern region if their concerns are not addressed. He accused the presidency of imposing DCEs on the people without any consultation of the constituency executives.

He said he was part of NDC executives who went round in 2012 with a basket full of promises but most of the promises have not been met, hinting, they will not be able to go back to those places to campaign ahead of the 2016 elections.

"The party [leadership] has no time for the party [grassroot]," he alleged. He cited the Kumbungu debacle where aspiring NDC Parliamentary and regional executives were chased out of the constituency. He said for three years the national and regional executives have not bothered to pay visits to some constituencies in the north.

"If care is not taken as we speak Northern Region where the president comes from is going to be a disaster. "After Volta Region I think Northern Region is the second world bank of the NDC but now if care is not taken Northern Region will be worse," he said.

He said all attempts to get in touch with the national executives have failed and he has been compelled to come public with his concerns. But the Regional Secretary of the NDC, Halid Abdul Rauf in a reaction told Joy News his compatriot is "oblivious of what is on the ground."

"The party is growing stronger," he said, adding on many of the outreach programmes came defections from other parties, particularly the NPP to the NDC. "In terms of development project, Mahama's achievement is unprecedented," he added. Halid Abdul Rauf also queried his colleague for not using internal channels to address his grievances.