RULING PARTY STRIVES TO REGAIN UNITY AT NATIONAL CONGRESS

UNCLAS ACCRA 000073

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM GH
SUBJECT: RULING PARTY STRIVES TO REGAIN UNITY AT NATIONAL CONGRESS


1. (SBU) Summary: Facing sharp divisions between senior members of
the party, Ghana's ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) took
steps at its National Conference to restore unity and incorporate
dissident faction into the party leadership. After publicly
criticizing President Mills' government, former President Rawlings
challenged the party by running his own candidates for party
leadership positions. NDC members attempted to strike a compromise,
re-electing the party Chairman and General Secretary - who are
strong supporters of President Mills and widely viewed as being
responsible for the NDC's 2008 electoral success - while voting
Rawlings allies (including the former First Lady) into important but
subordinate leadership positions. NDC officials expressed
satisfaction with the compromise, believing that it will now be
difficult for the former President to criticize the government. The
party now faces a challenge as it works to merge the competing
factions into a cohesive and effective leadership. Mills also
signaled his determination to seek re-election in 2012, an attempt
to end speculation that he would not seek a second term. End
Summary.


2. (U) POL Chief and POL FSN attended the NDC's National Delegates'
Congress from January 15-17 in the Northern Region capital, Tamale.
This was the first major party gathering since the NDC recaptured
power in December 2008. Over 2,400 delegates elected national party
executives from among 65 aspirants vying for 30 positions. The
run-up to the congress was dogged by acrimony and allegations of
vote buying, and public criticism of the Mills government by party
founder and former President Rawlings and other senior NDC
officials.

Party Vote Seeks Balance Between Factions
--------------


3. (SBU) After opening speeches, voting took place for 30 party
executive positions. The two most important positions, National
Chairman and General Secretary, were won by the incumbents, Kwabena
Adjei and Johnson Asiedu Nketia. Adjei and Nketia received well
over 90% of the votes, despite their private opposition to Nana
Agyemang-Rawlings' candidacy for a vice chairman position and the
fact that Nketia's opponent was perceived to have Mrs. Rawlings'
support.


4. (SBU) For the six vice chairman positions, former First Lady Nana
Rawlings was the top vote-winner, with 1,433 out of 1,900 voters.
Three other Rawlings loyalists, Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, Alhaji Hudu
Yahaya, and Alhaji Saeed Sinare, won vice chairman positions. The
remaining two vice-chairman positions were won by Kofi Porturphy and
Danny Annan, neither of whom is aligned with the Rawlings faction.Q5. (U) Yaw Boateng Gyan, an ally of Nketia and Adjei, ran unopposed
for the position of National Organizer, while Kofi Adams, Rawlings'
Spokesman, was elected as one of two Deputy General Secretaries.
The remaining positions that were elected were less significant and
did not involve competition between the factions.

Party Leaders Urge Party to Re-Unite
--------------


6. (U) In their opening speeches, party leaders acknowledged
internal divisions and called for unity. Vice President Mahama
conceded that the NDC had become polarized in its first year in
power. Responding to criticisms voiced recently by Rawlings and
Parliamentary Majority Leader Bagbin, Mahama underscored the
difficult economic conditions faced by the government since assuming
power and highlighted NDC achievements, including its initiative to
expand agricultural development in Northern Ghana, improved
governance, reduced crime, commissioning of infrastructure projects,
reduced inflation and increased school enrollment.


7. (U) Former President Rawlings was greeted ecstatically by NDC
delegates. He reminded delegates of the party's roots, and urged
them to support President Mills by electing persons who could
reinvigorate the party's promise of a better Ghana. He underscored
the need for party harmony. However, Rawlings warned that after
surviving the "malice and viciousness" of the New Patriotic Party
government, the party must now overcome the vindictiveness of some
of the party's own members and leaders. Rawlings said that the
government had depleted goodwill and popularity among the public,
and argued that the government has yet to fulfill promises made to
the electorate, "especially over punishing NPP wrongdoing."


8. (U) President Mills thanked Rawlings for his leadership and
counsel, but cautioned delegates to avoid mud-slinging that would
undermine party cohesiveness and weaken the government. He
underscored his commitment to the NDC agenda, and assured delegates
of his determination to retain power in 2012.


9. (U) Mills condemned those who claim that there are factions
within the NDC, and denied that there is a Mills faction. He
expressed hope that the NDC would use the congress to heal its
divisions. Mills acknowledged problems within his administration,
but said that the government would soon overcome these challenges.

NDC Hopes Compromise Ends Rawlings Criticism
--------------


10. (SBU) On the margins of the conference, senior NDC officials
expressed relief that the NDC had managed to strike the difficult
balance of accommodating Rawlings while maintaining strong support
for Mills. First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Edward Doe Adjaho,
and Majority Leader Bagbin, told us that the party had to support
Nana Rawlings' candidacy to avoid snubbing the former President.
Bagbin noted that by including Rawlings' allies in the party
leadership, Rawlings would "no longer be able to openly criticize
the NDC." Doe Adjaho told us that "most people at the Presidency do
not fully appreciate the dynamics within the NDC - alienating
Rawlings or those perceived to be his allies has serious
repercussions for the party." They stressed that the party had made
a collective decision to elect those perceived to be both
pro-Rawlings and pro-Mills as a way to resolve divisions.


11. (SBU) At the same time, party leaders confided to us their
concern that the new leadership may have some difficulty working
together. Many NDC officials that we spoke with criticized Nana
Rawlings' decision to contest an executive position as a former
First Lady. They questioned whether she would be able to
subordinate herself to the party leadership, and noted that she has
not proven herself to be a team player. An NDC member of government
told POL Chief January 21 that NDC internal discussions are often
heated, and asked whether she would be able to participate in such
discussions without taking personal offense.

COMMENT
--------------


12. (SBU) One year after taking office, NDC leaders acknowledge
sharp divisions between the government and Rawlings, and believe the
party will have little chance to retain power in 2012 if it cannot
overcome its differences (NOTE: the opposition New Patriotic Party
(NPP) faces similar divisions. END NOTE.) By retaining Adjei and
Nketia in the two most important party executive positions, NDC
delegates chose to retain two widely respected leaders who are also
felt to have played a major role in leading the NDC to victory in

2008.


13. (SBU) The NDC also made a collective decision to endorse
Rawlings' allies - most notably the former First Lady - for key
subordinate positions within the party executive. This reflects a
concerted strategy to force the factions to work together, and their
belief that it will now be difficult for Rawlings to criticize the
party leadership. However, maintaining cordiality and cohesion
within this new team will clearly present a challenge for the NDC as
it seeks to support President Mills' agenda and present a unified
message to the public. End Comment.

TEITELBAUM