Discontent is boiling over within the ranks of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), as grassroots members and foot soldiers threaten to take
Discontent is boiling over within the ranks of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), as grassroots members and foot soldiers threaten to take to the streets in protest over what they describe as a betrayal of party loyalty and ideals by President John Dramani Mahama.
At the heart of the storm is the appointment of Rosemond Obeng, a former outspoken supporter of NPP’s Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, as a Senior Presidential Staffer in the Mahama-led administration.
The decision has triggered fiery backlash from the Remember the Grassroot Movement (RGM), a coalition of long-serving NDC activists and foot soldiers who feel sidelined, disrespected, and replaced by political opportunists.
In a blistering press statement dated July 6, 2025, the RGM described the move as “madness” and “a direct spit in the faces” of loyal party supporters who endured arrests, threats, and poverty in defense of the NDC during its years in opposition.
“This is not politics. This is MADNESS! How can a man we defended with our last breath now appoints a known Bawumia bootlicker into such a sensitive role?” the group fumed.
The group didn’t mince words in accusing President Mahama of turning the NDC into a ‘business association’, designed to reward cronies and rebrand the party in his own image—at the cost of the party’s founding principles: social justice, probity, and accountability.
No Choboeeee
However, Dr. Mary Awusi, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Free Zones Authority has cautioned party faithful to shift away from overreliance on populist slogans and aggression, urging a more strategic and disciplined approach.
Speaking in an interview with TV XYZ, Awusi delivered a frank message to the party’s grassroots supporters, particularly those who have taken to chants like “choboeeee”—a rallying cry often heard at NDC rallies and demonstrations—as a substitute for meaningful political engagement.
“Let us not be deceived. Violence and choboeeee alone cannot win us the elections,” she said, stressing that electoral victories are achieved through planning, mobilisation, and a clear, consistent message that resonates with Ghanaians.
The Appointee at the Center
Rosemond Obeng, known in media and political circles as a former social media influencer for Bawumia’s campaign during the 2020 and 2024 elections, has raised eyebrows across party lines following her shocking appointment.
Her sudden elevation to high office within a Mahama-led government has been interpreted by many as a slap in the face of NDC loyalists who remained committed during the party’s most difficult times.
Though her defenders argue that her inclusion reflects Mahama’s “big tent” strategy of building a broader, more inclusive government, NDC hardliners say the cost of such political rebranding is the erosion of the party’s grassroots base.
Threats of Action: “Seven Days or the Streets Will Speak”
The RGM has given President Mahama a seven-day ultimatum to reverse what they describe as “useless appointments” and roll out a clear roadmap for rewarding “true comrades.”
“If by 7 days this betrayal is not reversed, we will MARCH. We will OCCUPY. We will LIGHT CAR TYRES across every regional capital,” the group declared, threatening civil unrest if their concerns are ignored.
They insist the political elite in the NDC have become disconnected from the rank-and-file and warned that no amount of PR spin or “borrowed grammar” would pacify the storm if it erupts.
“We have clapped for too long while betrayal dances. It is now our time to drum—and our rhythm will be chaos if you force our hands,” the statement warned ominously.
Cadres and Founding Family Members Also Left Out
Beyond Obeng’s appointment, the group is also seething over the exclusion of key party veterans and founding family members from major appointments.
Citing the marginalization of a daughter of party founder Jerry John Rawlings and a brother of the late President John Evans Atta Mills, the RGM accused Mahama of sidelining those who symbolize the NDC’s ideological legacy.
“How can just one daughter of our founder and one brother of JEAM be left out in the comity of appointments?” a follow-up commentary read. “
“The lumpen elements are being propped up as a false signal of inclusiveness,” the group said.
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