Nii Lante Vanderpuye confident of NDC chairmanship victory

National Democratic Congress (NDC) National Chairman aspirant Edwin Nii Lante Vanderpuye says he remains confident of winning the party’s chairmanship election despite concerns that his criticism of 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, Vanderpuye expressed optimism about his campaign and commended party members for maintaining peace during the constituency executive elections.

He said his visits to constituencies had so far been smooth, describing the atmosphere within the party as cordial.

“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.

Vanderpuye said the party’s regional elections were scheduled for November 14, followed by the national elections on December 19, adding that he expected to emerge as national chairman.

“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 said.

He also urged party members to resolve any disagreements amicably and unite after the internal elections to strengthen the NDC ahead of the 2028 general elections.

His confidence comes amid debate over comments he made about Sammy Gyamfi during a Channel One TV discussion on August 20.

The controversy followed Mr Gyamfi’s response to Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin during the Government Accountability Series, where the GoldBod CEO described the Minority Leader as a “noisemaker” and accused him of having “bastardised and depraved” the office.

The exchange occurred during a dispute over an alleged US$1.7 billion loss linked to GoldBod’s Domestic Gold Purchase Programme.

Vanderpuye acknowledged Sammy Gyamfi’s communication skills but said he would have used a different tone in responding to the Minority Leader, particularly on a public platform.

He later apologised to Sammy Gyamfi and the NDC, clarifying that his remarks were not intended to undermine the GoldBod CEO or support attacks against him.

Mussa Dankwah, Executive Director of Global InfoAnalytics on Saturday, October 24, during a discussion on TV3 KeyPoints said Vanderpuye is the leading candidate to win the chairmanship race.

"For now, the National Chairmanship position is looking good for Nii Lantey Vanderpuye," he said.