VZCZCXYZ0005
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHAR #0073/01 0221315
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 221315Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY ACCRA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8827
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE

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