As the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) convened on Saturday, July 19, to refine its constitution, a foundational step to strengthen the elephant to pull down the umbrella in 2028, another intriguing narrative unfolded on the sidelines, capturing public attention.
Joy News got the NPP 2024 Parliamentary Candidate for the Aowin Constituency, Fuseini Yakubu Abanga (NPP Abanga), for an interview, leading to bombshells, turning the minds of viewers to relatives in different political organisations.
Politics is often deemed a brutal arena, yet some families have masterfully navigated its complexities, demonstrating remarkable influence across the political spectrum.
Political dynasties are a global phenomenon, and Ghana is no exception, with families often nurturing successive generations into positions of power. Beyond generational succession, some families have strategically extended their reach into multiple political affiliations.
Former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill famously remarked, “Politics is not a game. It is an earnest business.”
Consciously or unconsciously, these families embody the adage: “Never put all your eggs in one basket,” perhaps as a safeguard against Ghana’s often winner-takes-all political environment.
This article delves into prominent Ghanaian families with representation across the nation’s political divide.
The Abanga Twins
Alhassan Yakubu Abanga (NDC) and Fuseini Yakubu Abanga (NPP) are identical twins who, despite sharing a womb, birth, and upbringing, find themselves on opposite ends of Ghana’s political spectrum.
Their striking resemblance often makes them indistinguishable, leading Fuseini to adopt the moniker ‘Abanga NPP’.
The twins gained prominence in 2022 when both decided to elevate their political careers.
Alhassan successfully secured a Vice Chairman position within the National Democratic Congress (NDC), having previously played various roles for the NDC’s Tertiary Educational Institutions Network (TEIN).
Conversely, Fuseini’s bid for the NPP’s National Youth Organiser position was unsuccessful.
Prior to his parliamentary candidacy, Abanga NPP was a key official of the Tertiary Students Confederacy (TESCON) of the NPP and has been attached to the Office of the General Secretary of the NPP since 2015.
In the last elections, he contested the Aowin seat in the Western North Region but lost, a setback he attributed to his twin brother.
The Kamara relatives: Boniface and Baba
Alhaji Abubakar Boniface Siddique, a veteran of the governing NPP, shares a familial bond with Alhaji Baba Kamara, a prominent figure in the opposition NDC.
Alhaji Siddique has served in various capacities within the NPP administration, including Minister of State at the Office of the Vice President, former Minister for Inner Cities and Zongo Development, and Minister of Youth, Labour, and Employment (2005-2007). He also previously served as the Member of Parliament for Salaga.
Alhaji Baba Kamara, a businessman, held the influential position of National Security Advisor to former President John Mahama.
Notably, Alhaji Siddique has openly stated that his political affiliation did not hinder his personal well-being, even when the NDC was in power, thanks to the support, both financial and otherwise, from his ‘brother’ on the other side.
At a 2017 town hall meeting, Alhaji Siddique candidly addressed party foot soldiers embroiled in partisan conflicts, elaborating on the benefits of having a relative in the opposing party.
“We will never starve in my house. My party, the NPP, may have been in opposition, but I was not. When the NDC was in power, I didn’t lack anything. When I go to my brother, Kamara, for money, he will give me. Today, I am in power [and] when he needs something, he will call me. We speak all the time. So think about it,” Alhaji Siddique advised the gathering.
The Jinapor Brothers
The highly revered Paramount Chief of the Buipe Traditional Area, Abdulai Jinapor II, should be a proud father because he can almost always point to a son in government, considering Ghana’s two-horse political governance.
Go to the opposition NDC, and you will find a Jinapor, turn to the governing NPP; there is also a Jinapor – these two parties have shared the spoils for the past eight elections under Ghana’s Fourth Republic.
The brothers are not mere members of the two political giants.
John Jinapor is MP for Yapei Kusawgu and serves as Minister of Energy and Green Transition.
His younger brother, Samuel Jinapor, is currently the MP for Damongo, a seat he snatched from the NDC’s Adam Mutawakilu, an associate of his brother.
The Mahama, Otiko, and Joyce Bawa Triangle
Former President John Mahama has a long and distinguished career within the NDC, culminating in his ascent to the presidency.
His cousin, Joyce Bawa-Mogtari, has also excelled within the same party, earning the admirable tag of ‘Communicator Extraordinaire’ for her impeccable execution of duties as Special Advisor and aide to President Mahama.
A highly regarded lawyer, Mrs. Bawa-Mogtari is often cited as a potential female presidential candidate in Ghana after holding previous ministerial roles, including deputy for the transport ministry.
Within the same family, Mrs. Bawa-Mogtari’s sister, the strong-willed and vocal Otiko Afisa Djaba, aligned with the elephant, ditching the umbrella.
Ms. Djaba, a former Women’s Organiser of the NPP and former Minister of Gender, stepped down from public service after declining an appointment as Ghana’s Ambassador to Italy in 2018 under then-President Nana Akufo-Addo.
The Ramadans: Samira, Abu, and Others
The Ramadan family is one of Ghana’s most prominent, with members extending their political influence across the PNC, NPP, and NDC.
Alhaji Ahmed Ramadan, a former chairman of the PNC, was appointed Ghana’s first Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates by President Akufo-Addo in 2017.
He passed on his political legacy to his three children: Abu Ramadan, former Youth Organiser of the PNC and former Deputy Director-General of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO); Mohammed Adamu Ramadan, Member of Parliament for Adentan (NDC); and former Second Lady Samira Bawumia (NPP).
Mrs. Bawumia is frequently mentioned in discussions about potential female presidential candidates.
While not a conventional politician in appearance, her political acumen was evident during the 2020 elections.
She is particularly remembered for her electrifying 2016 speech, which many credit with delivering a decisive blow to then-President Mahama and the NDC, contributing to the NPP’s first-round victory.
Former Vice President Bawumia and His Father
The name Bawumia is synonymous with former Vice President and 2024 Presidential Candidate of the NPP, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.
However, before Dr. Bawumia’s rise, his father, Alhaji Mumuni Bawumia, had already forged a significant political path.
Unlike many of the families highlighted, the father and son held differing political ideologies.
While Dr. Bawumia champions the NPP, his father’s political journey saw him as a member of the Northern People’s Party and later the United Party.
He famously crossed carpets to the Convention People’s Party in 1958 while still in parliament, subsequently serving in several ministerial roles under Kwame Nkrumah’s governments.
Alhaji Mumuni Bawumia, a lawyer and the paramount chief of Kperiga, also served as chairman of the Council of State in the Fourth Republic from 1993 to 2000.
The Ayarigas
Hassan Ayariga, the eldest of the three brothers, was the People’s National Convention (PNC) presidential candidate for the 2012 elections before breaking ranks to form the All People’s Congress (APC).
His younger brothers, however, have remained steadfastly loyal to the NDC.
Mahama Ayariga serves as the Member of Parliament for Bawku Central and holds the position of Majority Leader in Parliament.
His extensive political experience includes roles as former Minister of Information and Media Relations and former Minister of Youth and Sports under the first Mahama administration.
The youngest, Osman Ayariga, is the NDC Deputy National Youth Organiser.
The Naabu Brothers
Despite being brothers, Daniel Bugri Naabu and Joseph Bipoba Naabu maintain distinct political affiliations.
Bugri is a staunch NPP member, while Bipoba proudly aligns with the NDC.
The vociferous Bugri gained prominence after defeating Haruna Tia Sulemana to become the Northern Regional NPP Chairman in 2014.
He is credited with increasing the party’s parliamentary seats in the region from 10 to 13 in the 2016 elections.
However, a controversial attempt to garner sympathy votes in 2018 backfired, leading to his loss in the re-election bid for the Northern Regional Chairman.
He was later appointed to the National Council of the NPP and, even as the Paramount Chief of Namong in the Northern Region, he remains influential within the party, having publicly endorsed Dr. Bawumia’s presidential bid in 2020 with the declaration, “With Bawumia, we win finish.”
His junior brother, Bipoba, served two terms as the NDC Member of Parliament for Yunyoo from 2012 but lost in 2020 to Oscar Liwal. His allegiance to the NDC remains unwavering.
Yaw Osafo-Maafo and Dr. I.K. Adjei-Maafo
Yaw Osafo-Maafo is a familiar figure in Ghana’s contemporary political landscape, much like his senior brother, Dr. I.K. Adjei-Maafo, was in the 1980s and early 1990s.
Yaw Osafo-Maafo served as the Senior Presidential Advisor to the Akufo-Addo government, wielding significant power and influence across various sectors.
He was also the Senior Minister of the Republic of Ghana from 2017 to 2021 and a Member of Parliament for Akim Oda from 1997 to 2009, having previously held cabinet roles, including Finance Minister, in the Kufuor Administration (2001-2009).
Few people are aware that his brother, Dr. I.K. Adjei-Maafo, served as Secretary for Agriculture during the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) era.
Dr. Adjei-Maafo’s role as a government officer in charge of Cocoa Schedule extended from the PNDC into the early period of the NDC government, which assumed office in 1992.
Kojo Yankah (NDC) and Prof. Kwesi Yankah (NPP)
Another intriguing family dynamic exists within the Yankah household, with two distinguished intellectuals on opposing political sides.
Kojo Yankah is a former Member of Parliament for Agona East, a seat he won in 1992 on the ticket of the NDC. He served as Central Regional Minister and later Ashanti Regional Minister under the Rawlings administration.
The renowned statesman is also the founder and president of the African University College of Communications (AUCC) and a former editor of the Daily Graphic.
Several years later, his brother, Professor Kwesi Yankah, was appointed Minister of State in charge of tertiary education in 2017 by President Nana Akufo-Addo. Professor Yankah openly stated his long-standing membership in the NPP.
He also served as the Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana and the president of Central University. The accomplished author and academic was inducted as a fellow of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1999.
Peter Ala Adjetey and Larry Adjetey
For older Ghanaians, the Rt. Hon. Peter Ala Adjetey is a familiar name, having presided over Ghana’s parliament from 2001 to 2005 under the Kufuor regime.
The late statesman was also the Member of Parliament for Kpeshie in the Third Republic and the United National Convention (UNC) Parliamentary group leader during that period.
In 1995, he became Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), a position he held until 1998.
However, throughout these years, his son, Larry Adjetey, aligned himself with the rivals of his father’s party.
An experienced lawyer called to the Ghana Bar in 1984, Larry, plays a significant role as a leading member of the NDC.
In 2009, he was vocal in defending the Mills administration’s efforts to retrieve state vehicles and properties from past NPP ministers and appointees, urging the public not to perceive it as a “witch-hunt.” He was also named as part of the NDC’s legal team ahead of the 2020 elections.
Source:Â David Apinga
