We have taken the firm position as a force within the National Democratic Congress (NDC), and based on conviction, that the NDC lost power in 2016 partly because we had a leadership at party and government level that was thinking behind the times. We had a complacent leadership who thought they didn't need the skills and energies and talents of the many willing party activists - because they didn't really understand the talents and skills set needed to win an election in the 21st century.

The leadership refused to delegate functions because they had become corrupt and didn't want to spread party resources for an effective organisation.

In their 'delusion', they were in a ''comfortable lead''. Many of the young and talented junior party officers were not assigned any particular duties during the 2016 elections. The official assignments remained with the General Secretary and the national organiser and chairman - who were all thinking behind the times.

No wonder after the 2016 elections, under our failed general secretary Johnson Asiedu Nketiah who also acted as campaign chairman, the NDC party could not come out with official collated results to compare with those of the EC and the NPP whose officers announced their results ahead of the EC because of an efficient system and structure put in place because they were thinking with the times. We think it will be totally senseless to give the same responsibility to the same person with such a monumental record of recent failure.

YDF believe that the chairman, general secretary and the national organiser must all be voted out if they dare attempt to seek re-election. Beyond believing in this cause, we have decided to champion this cause. Our particular aim is to first and foremost campaign for the removal and replacement of Johnson Asiedu Nketiah with Koku Anyidoho as general secretary of the NDC.

Our decision is based on several compelling reasons which we shall communicate to delegates in a series of articles and statements.

In Part one we answer the question 'Is Asiedu Nketiah popular with the people as a general secretary''?

He used to be popular. Those days are gone. They are past glories.

Asiedu Nketiah has lost massive popularity with the people. We speak from empirical evidence. Before the 2016 elections, the NDC had 29 parliamentary seats in the Brong - Ahafo region, the home region of the NDC general secretary.

Asiedu-Nketiah, as General Secretary of the NDC, and also Chairman of the NDC Campaign in 2016, lost 20 out of the 29 Seats in Brong Ahafo Region including his own TAIN constituency. We think this is the best way to measure the popularity(in this case unpopularity) of the general secretary.

If Asiedu Nketiah has become so disliked, or perhaps even hated by his own home region and constituency, how can he influence voters in other regions of other parts of the country?

In our books, in a true democracy, nobody would have needed to prompt Mr. Asiedu Nketiah to resign after that epic failure. Now it is time for him to retire at 61. And we the YDF are informed that Asiedu Nketiah decided after the NDC defeat in 2016 that he will retire and allow younger ones to grow and take over the running of the party.

Curiously, or as we see it, out of arrogance of power, Asiedu-Nketiah changed his mind to spit on the soul of the NDC by arrogantly bragging on radio that he will be General Secretary for life until when it is he wishes to hand over.

We find that posturing by an unpopular and failed party general secretary unfortunate especially following an election performance in which you flopped abysmally. This is the same Asiedu Nketiah who called the party founder J.J Rawlings a ''barking dog'' and told Rawlings that the NDC was not a church with spiritual leaders for life.

These loose talks from our general secretary have served to deeply divide the party for a long time. Today, after 13 years and three-terms as general secretary, and at 61-yrs old, Mr. Nketiah haven presided over and recorded a massive unprecedented political defeat, cannot convince any of us that he is not seeking to stay on for his own personal and parochial interests.

Indeed, the YDF have information on some of the personal interests reasons for which Mr. Asiedu Nketiah wishes to remain in office and we shall communicate these to the delegates in due course.

Delegates of the NDC must look beyond gimmicks in choosing the next general secretary. The party machinery needs youthfulness, passion, integrity and conviction at this crucial point in time when the party needs an injection of new ideas and reformed structures.

The Young Democratic Forces endorse Deputy General secretary comrade Koku Anyidoho also known as the BULL to take over from general mosquito as General Secretary.

We believe that Koku Anyidoho has gained massive experience in four years as a deputy general secretary and with his fearless persona coupled with his integrity, the NDC party will gain respect from the opposition NPP whose activists are petrified of Koku Anyidoho due to his firm conviction of principles.

It's a revolution. The movement is on the ground among the rank and file. And the YDF invites all young and old party activists and sympathisers to join the movement for change. Change begins with the general secretary. The General Secretary is the nerve centre of the party. If Asiedu Nketiah remains in office, the NDC will once again face defeat in 2020.

Let's conquer defeat in 2020. Let's vote out Asiedu Nketiah.

#AsieduNketiahMustGo
#NDCInternalRevolt
#KokuAnyidohoForGeneralSecretary
#NDC2020

''Rebel'' Deniz SaCut Amenga-Etego
Leader, YDF