By News Desk
A fierce internal power struggle has rocked the Central Regional branch of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), with the Central Regional Minister, Ekow Eduamoah Panyin, openly defying the party’s leadership and dismissing warnings over an unauthorized party gathering.
Addressing supporters and party executives at the regional party office in Cape Coast during a meeting he convened, Mr. Panyin launched a scathing attack on the NDC National Chairman, Hon. Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, insisting that he remains independent of national administrative directives on regional affairs.
”I don’t take directives from the National Chairman!” Mr. Panyin declared forcefully to the gathering, brushing aside calls from national headquarters to halt the meeting. “I am the Regional Minister, and as a key stakeholder in this region, no one from Accra can dictate to me how we manage our affairs here.”
Contested Authority
The controversy stems from the legality of the meeting itself. Under the NDC’s party constitution, regional executive meetings are traditionally summoned by or in consultation with the substantive Regional Chairman. However, Mr. Panyin, who serves as a Vice Chairman in the regional executive structure, convened the gathering without the authorization of the substantive Central Regional Chairman, Dr. Richard Asiedu.
Party insiders reveal that National Chairman Johnson Asiedu Nketiah had earlier issued a clear directive instructing Mr. Panyin to stand down and cancel the gathering to prevent procedural breaches and factional clashes within the region.
Despite the directive, Mr. Panyin proceeded with the meeting, taking center stage at the regional secretariat while dismissing the authority of both the national chairman and the substantive regional chairman.
Calls for Security Intervention
Tensions escalated further when the Regional Minister issued a stern warning to those attempting to block or disrupt the proceedings, calling on law enforcement agencies to intervene aggressively against any opposition—including the party’s own regional chairman.
”Anyone who thinks they can come here to disrupt this gathering will face the full rigor of the law,” Mr. Panyin warned. “I am directing the police to deal ruthlessly with the Central Regional Chairman, Dr. Richard Asiedu, or anyone else who dares to interfere with this meeting or try to cause confusion.”
The minister’s harsh rhetoric has sparked widespread shock and division within the party’s regional rank and file. While factional supporters of Mr. Panyin cheered his defiance, loyalists to Dr. Richard Asiedu and the national executive bureau have condemned the move as a dangerous display of insubordination.
High-Stakes Rift
Reacting to the developments, local party observers noted that the confrontation exposes deep-seated factional fault lines within the NDC’s regional organization ahead of upcoming political activities.
”This is an unprovoked assault on party discipline and constitutional order,” said a senior party executive who spoke on condition of anonymity. “A Vice Chairman cannot usurp the powers of the substantive chairman, let alone challenge the National Chairman in public.”
As of press time, neither the office of the National Chairman, Hon. Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, nor the substantive Regional Chairman, Dr. Richard Asiedu, had issued an official press statement, though sources within the national secretariat indicate that disciplinary committees may be asked to review the incident.
More updates to follow.
