Nii Lante Vanderpuye confident of winning NDC national chairmanship despite GoldBod controversy

National Democratic Congress (NDC) National Chairman aspirant Edwin Nii Lante Vanderpuye has expressed confidence in winning the party's national chairmanship election despite concerns that his recent comments about Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) Chief Executive Officer, Sammy Gyamfi, could affect his chances.

Speaking to Citi News during a visit to the Okaikwei South constituency on Sunday, October 25, Mr Vanderpuye said he remained optimistic about his prospects in the race.

He also commended NDC members for maintaining peace during the ongoing constituency executive elections and expressed hope that disagreements arising from the process would be resolved amicably.

According to him, all contestants must unite after the elections to strengthen the party ahead of the 2028 general elections.

“This is my third constituency visit. I’ve been to Odododiodioo, I passed through Korley Klottey and I’m here, and so far everything is smooth. We show you a family atmosphere,” he said.

“Come November 14, we will have the regional elections, and then later, on December 19, we’ll have the national elections, which I believe I will make it as National Chairman,” he added.

Mr Vanderpuye's confidence comes amid controversy over comments he made during a Channel One TV discussion on August 20, in which he criticised the manner in which Mr Gyamfi responded to Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin during the Government Accountability Series.

Mr Gyamfi had described Mr Afenyo-Markin as a “noisemaker” and accused him of having “bastardised and depraved” the office of the Minority Leader during a dispute over an alleged US$1.7 billion loss linked to GoldBod's Domestic Gold Purchase Programme.

While acknowledging Mr Gyamfi's communication skills, Mr Vanderpuye said he would have used a different tone in responding to the Minority Leader, particularly on a public platform.

He later apologised to Mr Gyamfi and the NDC, explaining that his comments were not intended to undermine the GoldBod CEO or lend support to attacks against him.

However, Executive Director of Global InfoAnalytics, Mussa Dankwah, raised concerns on Saturday, October 24, that the controversy could have weakened Mr Vanderpuye's chances of winning the national chairmanship race.