NDC Chairman Race: Meet the 4 Men Fighting to Replace Asiedu Nketiah as General Mosquito Steps Aside

For the first time in approximately 21 years, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) is preparing to hold its national executive elections without Johnson Asiedu Nketiah contesting for a position on the party’s national executive committee.

The development signals the end of a long period of involvement in the NDC’s national leadership by Asiedu Nketiah, popularly known as General Mosquito, who has occupied some of the party’s most influential positions since 2005.

He served as the party’s General Secretary for 17 years before becoming National Chairman following his election in December 2022.

His decision not to seek another term as National Chairman means the NDC will have to elect its national executives without him appearing on the ballot for the first time since 2005.

With the party’s national executive elections scheduled for December 19, 2026, four candidates have submitted their nominations to contest the National Chairman position, setting up a race to succeed one of the NDC’s most prominent political figures.

Here is a closer look at the four individuals seeking to become the party’s next National Chairman.

Sofo Azorka Awudu, popularly known as Chief Sofo Azorka, is the incumbent National Vice Chairman of the NDC and an established figure in the party’s grassroots political structure.

He previously served as the NDC’s Northern Regional Chairman, having secured the position in the regional executive elections held in November 2014.

His influence within the party’s national leadership grew in December 2018 when he was elected National Vice Chairman. He subsequently retained the position at the party’s December 2022 National Delegates Congress.

Azorka secured 2,707 votes, recording the highest number of votes among the eight candidates who contested the three available vice-chairmanship positions.

Much of his political influence has been built through party organisation and grassroots mobilisation, particularly in the Northern Region.

He is also the founder and leader of the Azorka Boys, a group associated with the NDC that has frequently featured in public discussions and media reports about political vigilante groups in Ghana.

Nii Armah Ashietey is a lawyer and former Member of Parliament for Korle Klottey in the Greater Accra Region.

He entered Parliament after winning the constituency seat on the NDC ticket in the 2008 general elections and represented the area from 2009 to 2017.

Before becoming a legislator, Ashietey served as Chief Executive of the Tema Metropolitan Assembly between 1993 and 2001.

His political career later took him into national government when he was appointed Greater Accra Regional Minister in 2009 by the late President John Evans Atta Mills. He held the position until 2013.

Following the NDC’s victory in the 2012 general elections, he was appointed Minister for Employment and Labour Relations under President John Dramani Mahama.

He remained in the position until 2017, when the NDC lost power following the 2016 general elections.

Dr Akwasi Oppong-Fosu is a founding member of the NDC with extensive experience in politics, public administration and local governance.

He represented Amenfi East in the Western Region as a Member of Parliament from 2013 to 2017, building on several years of involvement in public service and political administration.

His government experience includes serving as Minister for Local Government and Rural Development as well as Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation during the Mahama administration.

He also held the position of Minister of State at the Presidency and served as Head of the Local Government Service.

These roles have given him experience in both political leadership and the administration of public institutions.

Throughout his career, Oppong-Fosu has focused on issues relating to decentralisation, institutional development and strengthening local governance.

His experience in district-level administration and national government forms part of his credentials as he seeks to lead the NDC’s national executive structure.

Edwin Nii Lantey Vanderpuye is a former Member of Parliament for Odododiodio and a former sports journalist who transitioned into active politics after working in the media industry for several years.

He represented the constituency in Parliament from 2013 until January 2025, having first won the seat in the 2012 general elections and retained it in the following two elections.

Before entering Parliament, Vanderpuye worked with the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) from 1990 to 2004, eventually rising to the position of Deputy Head of Sports.

He later joined Network Broadcasting Limited, where he served as Head of Sports between 2005 and 2008.

His political career also includes serving as a special aide and Director of Operations at the Presidency under the late President John Evans Atta Mills.

During the Mahama administration, he held several government positions, including Deputy Minister for Trade and Industry, Deputy Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, and Minister for Youth and Sports.

As Minister for Youth and Sports, he oversaw the sector between 2015 and 2017.

After leaving Parliament in January 2025, Vanderpuye was appointed National Coordinator of the District Road Improvement Programme (DRIP).

However, he resigned from the position in June 2026, indicating that he wanted to focus on pursuing a national executive position within the NDC.

Source: https://mobile.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/From-Vigilante-Leader-to-Ex-MPs-Meet-the-4-men-hoping-to-fill-the-boots-of-Asiedu-Nketiah-2060763

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