NDC Gurus Clash Over Nana

Alhaji Muntaka Mubarak TWO PROMINENT members of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) last Sunday clashed over Nana Akufo-Addo's campaign song that was used in the 2008 elections, at a victory party held at the Prempeh Assembly Hall in Kumasi.

The newly appointed Minister of Youth and Sports and MP for Asawase, Muntaka Mubarak and Yamoah Ponko, a Kumasi-based NDC activist, in the full glare of the public, fought over the use of Nana's campaign song composed for him by Daddy Lumba.  

Minutes after the DJ had started playing the song “Nana Nana die woye winner”, Yamoah Ponko got up from his seat, objected to the song and ordered that the song be stopped immediately even though the MP was on the stage making some wild moves with it.

Earlier, the NDC activist who is said to have lobbied his way to win the heart of the party founder, Jerry John Rawlings, had asked Hon. Muntaka not to dance with the song as it belonged to their main opponent, the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

This development nearly marred the well organized programme as the MP disgracefully left the stage and took his seat, until President Atta Mills' campaign song was later played to entertain party supporters.

A source indicated that Nana Addo's song was specially requested by Hon. Mubarak Muntaka who was the guest speaker.

Members of the Zongo Youth Wing of the NDC (ZOYOW) organized the function and invited both Hon. Mubarak and Yamoah Ponko to come and grace the occasion so that the youth within the Ashanti Region could celebrate the victory of the NDC.

But soon after the start of the programme, the confusion erupted as the Youth and Sports Minister started dancing to the NPP's campaign song.

The embarrassing action of Yamoa Ponko put the Minister in a very awkward situation.

Mr. Yamoa Ponko, the paper gathered, did not only order the Minister to stop dancing to the song but also warned the DJ not to play any NPP song at the function.  

The DJ, under the circumstance, had no option but to play the NDC's campaign song “Hwan na mope Atta Mills” which tune seemed unsuitable for the youth.

Hon. Muntaka who is known to be very humble among his colleagues in the region left the function before it ended, with the explanation that he had another important function to attend.

The Asawase MP, before the dramatic incident, urged the youth to put every rancour behind them and try to live in peace as that was the only means by which the NDC could remain in power for a longer period.   

He stated that the bad impression created about the NDC previously that it was a violent party is something that all the party supporters should work against.

The acting Public Relations Officer of ZOYOW, on his part, urged the youth to learn from the campaign strategy adopted by Nana Akufo-Addo's campaign team towards the 2008 general election where they did their best to unite most of the Zongo youth.

According to him, even though the NDC finally won the race, he personally discovered that Nana Addo's campaign strategy was perfect and needed to be adopted by members of the NDC as members of the party are doing their best to ensure that the party remains in power for a longer period.

From Stella Danso, Kumasi