Photo: Acting Chairman Danquah Smith
There is chaos in the coop — and Acting Chairman Danquah Smith looks increasingly like a lone cockroach caught in the middle of a furious flock of fowls.
In what party insiders are describing as a calculated full-blown turf war, a group of New Patriotic Party (NPP) executives aligned with Vice President Bawumia are pulling every trick in the book to clip Smith’s wings and prevent him from taking full charge during Chairman Stephen Ntim’s absence.
What began as murmurs of discontent has now escalated into outright confrontation. At the heart of the brewing crisis is a letter dripping with accusations, authored by none other than Alhaji Masawudu Osman, the NPP’s National 3rd Vice Chairman.
The dramatic letter — which has been sighted by The Hawk — paints a picture of betrayal, misinformation, and political sabotage at the highest level of the party.
The Letter That Rocked the Roost
In a scathing communication addressed to Smith (a.k.a. Chairman Buttey), Alhaji Masawudu accuses the Acting Chairman of peddling falsehoods about former President Akufo-Addo — a move he claims has sown confusion and damaged party unity.
According to Masawudu, during the July 17 National Council meeting, Smith told members that Akufo-Addo and “others” had privately expressed strong reservations about a controversial proposal to hold early presidential primaries and expand the Electoral College to include former MMDCEs.
Masawudu challenged this assertion at the meeting, questioning why such weighty concerns from a former president were not formally communicated to the National Council.
“I challenged your claims,” he wrote, “and you, with support from Mr. Hackman Owusu Agyemang, overruled me and even threatened to sack me from the meeting for daring to speak up.”
Denial Sparks Political Fire
The situation took a turn when Akufo-Addo’s office issued a statement denying any move to scuttle NEC’s decisions, prompting Masawudu to accuse Smith of fabricating the claims to manipulate the party’s internal direction.
“To lie against no means a person than our dear former President Akufo-Addo is not just reckless — it is gross misconduct,” Masawudu fired in his letter, citing a clear violation of party unity and internal order.
He warned that he would be petitioning the National Council on grounds of “stated misbehaviour” following the party constitution, calling Smith’s actions “self-serving and capricious.”
Fowls Circle the Acting Chairman
What’s fuelling the fire further is the perception that Smith — seen as a non-aligned figure — is being deliberately undermined by Bawumia loyalists who fear his leadership may tilt internal reforms away from their preferred succession path.
From covert attempts to deny him authority as acting chairman, to whisper campaigns tasking Rita Asobayire, a fellow Vice Chair, to outshine or override him, the internal sabotage has grown brazen.
“This is not just an internal disagreement — it’s a well-oiled operation to remove Buttey from the cockpit before he steadies the party’s turbulent flight,” said one insider close to the NEC deliberations.
Another NEC member described the atmosphere as “poisoned by succession fever”, adding, “They don’t want him because he represents discipline, structure, and above all, uncertainty for their preferred flagbearer.”
A Party Split Down the Middle?
Danquah Smith has so far maintained a composed public front, but sources say the tension is boiling behind closed doors.
With Chairman Ntim absent, and pressure mounting from Bawumia’s inner circle, Smith’s grip on power looks shaky, despite the constitutionally mandated role of 1st Vice Chair in the Chairman’s absence.
Observers warn that if the crisis isn’t resolved soon, the NPP could face a deeper fracture, just as it tries to reposition itself in opposition and ready itself for the 2028 general elections.
As Masawudu sharpens his knives for a formal petition, and others rally to defend or destroy Smith’s tenure, one thing is clear:
There’s a cockroach in the coop — and the feathers are flying.
About The Author
