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| Imminent Palace Coup In NDC: Gbevlo-Lartey, P V Obeng to fall |
4/30/2009 |
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Investigations undertaken by The Statesman has unearthed what looks like an imminent palace coup in the John Evans Atta Mills-led NDC government to get rid of two key figures in the government whose activities the NDC believes, have incurred the displeasure of some major stakeholders in the party and the electorate as a whole.
The victims of the impending coup are Lt. Col. Larry Gbevlo-Lartey (rtd), National Security Co-ordinator, and Paul Victor Obeng, Chairman of the government Transition Team and a member of the "gang of five” who are said to be the “movers and shakers” of the Mills Presidency, our sources at the Castle say.
The Statesman can reveal that the move to kick out Gbevlo-Lartey is being masterminded by people close to President Mills and Vice President John Mahama.
They feel the National Security Co-ordinator has failed to put the necessary checks on the influence of former President Rawlings, who incidentally is the National Security Coordinator''s closest pal, which is giving the government negative publicity in the eyes of Ghanaians.
The Statesman can also reveal that the agitation to push out P V Obeng is coming from the party circles, and is being spearheaded by Kwabena Adjei, NDC National Chairman.Dr Adjei"s “hatred” for Mr Obeng stems from his belief that he had been a stumbling block to his determination to occupy the juicy position of the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authorit
The two had been jostling for the position since Dr. Kwadwo Afari-Gyan gave the verdict to the NDC in the nation’s closest elections since Independence.
Even though the NDC Chairman thinks he has done enough for the party to be rewarded with the position, he has only been offered the relatively non-juicy position of Board Chairman of the Ghana Education Trust Fund.
He is said to be very unhappy about this development. Also, information available to The Statesman suggests that the job of the National Security Co-ordinator is on the line because both the Mills and Mahama camps are not happy about his inability to “check” the Rawlings’ influence and its associated negative media publicity.
His case is said to be made worse by the fact that he does not enjoy the total confidence of Kojo Tsikata, who is said to be seen in some quarters as a de-facto National Security Minister.
Gbevlo-Lartey is largely seen by the Presidency as a loyalist of ex-President Rawlings, even though he has sought to give a contrary impression in view of the fact that Brigadier Utuka, his uncle, was killed by the Rawlings regime.
This development is said to have created some confusion at the seat of government. The Statesman can reveal that while the hardliners are pushing for the immediate removal of the National Security Co-ordinator, the cool heads think the Presidency has to tread cautiously in view of the negative signal the removal will send out.
There is also panic at the Presidency because of the fear that it is losing control of the media and public opinion landscape.
Public opinion is not on the side of the government; it is losing the media battle; grassroots members of the NDC are turning against the Presidency because they have been allegedly incited by former President Rawlings to put pressure on Mills to create a Police State that would inure to the political benefit of Rawlings in his dream to keep Ghana intimidated. Stay tuned
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