General Secretary of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), Fiifi Fiavi Kwetey, has rebuked sections of party members and members of the public calling for a third presidential term for President John Dramani Mahama.
He described such calls as dangerous sycophancy that runs contrary to the founding principles of the party.
Addressing party faithful at the 44th anniversary commemoration of the 31st December Revolution in Ada, he said the NDC was built on vigilance, discipline, and service to the people not bootlicking or personal opportunism.
According to him, the revolutionary spirit bequeathed by the late Jerry John Rawlings was one that rejected blind praise and placed the collective good of the people above individual ambition.
He noted that the vigilance that defined the revolution was so strong that “even Satan would be afraid to do what is wrong,” stressing that such a spirit fundamentally undercuts sycophancy and self-serving behaviour within the party.
Fiifi Kwetey lamented what he described as a worrying rise in sycophancy within the NDC, where some individuals, in his view, believe that survival in the party depends solely on singing the praises of those in authority.
He argued that it is this mindset that fuels reckless calls for a third term for President Mahama, describing such advocacy as “pure sycophancy and bootlicking of the highest order.”
The NDC General Secretary was categorical that Jerry Rawlings, the founder of the party, was never at any point encouraged to pursue a third term, despite his towering influence and legacy.
“People who think that praise-singing will somehow secure them opportunities do not love this country or this party,” he said, adding that genuine love for the NDC must be rooted in service to the people, not personal gain.
Reinforcing the ideological foundation of the party, Fiifi Kwetey reminded supporters of the famous revolutionary mantra: “Cadres may go, cadres may come, but the revolution has come to stay.” He explained that the statement underscores the fact that the NDC is bigger than any individual leader.
He paid tribute to the contributions of past leaders, noting that Jerry Rawlings served to the best of his ability and exited the stage, just as Prof. John Evans Atta Mills did. President Mahama, he said, is also serving diligently in his time.
While praising President Mahama’s leadership, the NDC General Secretary emphasized that leadership in the NDC is transitional and must always be guided by principle, not personality.
“Bless him, he’s doing wonderfully,” he said, “but even his time will come. Why? Because individuals come and go, but the revolutionary tendency must always remain.”
He concluded by urging party members to always place the interests of the NDC and the nation above personal ambition, stressing that protecting the ideological soul of the party remains paramount.
