Signs of internal friction are emerging in the governing National Democratic Congress after Education Minister and Tamale South MP Haruna Iddrisu appeared to take a swipe at NDC National Chairman Johnson Asiedu Nketia during President John Dramani Mahama’s tour of the Savannah Region.
The incident has fueled speculation that some officials in the Presidency and government are uneasy with Asiedu Nketiah’s nationwide “Thank You Tour,” which critics say is beginning to compete with President Mahama’s official “Reset Tour.”
Political observers note the unusual situation in which both the President and the NDC Chairman are holding parallel nationwide tours so soon after the party’s return to office. The development has created a perception of two centres of power within the NDC.
The issue came to a head during Mahama’s engagement in the Savannah Region. Addressing party supporters in the President’s presence, Haruna Iddrisu said:
“For his thank you tour, not the other thank you tour — the proper thank you tour of President Mahama.”
He added, “Not the curtain raiser,” drawing cheers from the crowd. Many analysts viewed the remarks as a calculated message from the Mahama camp aimed at Asiedu Nketia.
President Mahama did not publicly distance himself from the comments or defend the Chairman, further fueling speculation that the Presidency shares concerns about the Chairman’s growing visibility.
Unease has been building over how Asiedu Nketia’s tour has evolved. What began as a routine appreciation exercise is now seen by some as a parallel political platform.
Billboards and posters bearing the Chairman’s image have appeared in several towns on the tour, sparking speculation that he may be positioning himself for future influence or even a presidential bid.
Critics within the NDC argue that the tour risks undermining President Mahama’s authority at a time when the government is focused on governance, economic recovery, and the “reset agenda.”
Tensions deepened after Asiedu Nketia claimed in Tamale that the NDC’s 2024 victory was possible because the party removed Haruna Iddrisu and Interior Minister Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak from the Minority leadership in Parliament before the election.
Describing himself as the party’s “coach,” he said the 2023 reshuffle was a difficult but necessary decision to improve the party’s chances. The remarks reopened old wounds. Supporters of Haruna Iddrisu and Muntaka viewed the reshuffle as humiliating and politically motivated.
Allies of Muntaka responded with a statement accusing the Chairman of rewriting history and unfairly targeting senior figures. Signed by Nasir Gardenboi, the statement said leadership requires restraint and unity, not divisive public commentary.
“The quest for the presidency should not lead anyone to make senior party members unpopular for political convenience,” it said.
The Muntaka camp also accused Asiedu Nketiah of creating the impression that Northern and Muslim leaders in the NDC were being targeted. Haruna Iddrisu’s supporters have similarly expressed anger, questioning why the Chairman would revisit painful divisions while the party is in government.
Analysts say the public exchanges point to a deeper struggle over succession, control of party structures, and influence ahead of 2028. Some insiders suggest Haruna’s comments were meant to signal that if Mahama remains silent, loyalists in government will respond on his behalf.
Recent directives from the NDC National Secretariat to tighten control over media appearances by party communicators have also been seen as an effort to limit internal tensions spilling into the public.
Despite repeated calls for unity, the parallel tours, succession talk, and public exchanges between camps loyal to Asiedu Nketiah, Haruna Iddrisu, and Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak are now viewed as one of the most serious internal challenges facing the NDC since returning to power in 2024.
