A former Deputy Ashanti Regional Secretary of the National Democratic Congress says Frances Essiam’s resignation from the Democratic Freedom Party could be the beginning of the end for the party. The Statesman newspaper on Tuesday announced Ms Essiam’s resignation as the Women’s Organiser of the party, explaining that she had quit party politics due to ill-health.

But Doe Tamakloe, the former NDC official described Ms. Essiam’s action as a smart way to escape a monumental humiliation the DFP was likely to face ahead of the 2008 elections. Ms. Essiam, also previously a Women’s Organiser of the NDC left the party to join the DFP after she was manhandled at the infamous Koforidua congress of the NDC in December 2005. The acting General Secretary of the DFP, Bede Ziedeng told an Accra-based radio station that Ms. Essiam cited health reasons for her resignation. However Doe Tamakloe thought her reason for resigning was a cover-up and a forecast of the stillbirth of the party.

“The fact of the matter is that over a period of time, we will get to know whether it is for health reasons or it is upon second reflection. This is what I am talking about. The DFP cannot win political power. They think they can deal some blow to the NDC. Over a period of time and upon second thought, upon reflection they would realize that worse things do happen in political parties than did happen at the Koforidua Congress but break aways do not come.” Mr. Tamakloe also maintained that the DFP was established on a wrong foundation which was the major reason why it was bound to collapse.

“The party appeared to have been formed to deal a blow to the NDC. Is that their focus? Is that their purpose? Then that is not politics. That is not politics, it is vengeance, it is vindictiveness which from the word go, they have a wrong foundation and if they build on that foundation, they are bound to collapse.”