Leader of ‘TheNewForce,’ heads ‘radical’ African leaders’ meeting with John Mahama following disrupted event

Ghanaian businessman, Nana Kwame Bediako, widely recognized as Cheddar and the driving force behind the #TheNewForce movement, has engaged in a meeting with the Flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama.

This development comes in the aftermath of the government’s eleventh-hour decision to cancel the “The Convention” event scheduled for January 7, 2024, at the Independence Square. The event, which had anticipated the presence of prominent African political figures as speakers, faced an abrupt cancellation by the government.

The government, in its clarification, acknowledged that it halted the pre-planned and paid-for event due to an “unexpected State Event scheduled to occur at the venue.”

In the letter, signed on behalf of the Chief of Staff by the Chief Director at the Jubilee House, H. M. Wood, it also added that the booking fee of GH¢10,000 would be refunded to the unnamed organizer of the said programme.

“We write to revoke immediate the permission granted per our letter No.OP/PH/02 dated 11th November, 2023, which approved your request to use the Black Star Square for the above event.

“This decision has been necessitated by an unforeseen State Event scheduled to take place at the venue,” portions of the letter, titled, ‘Revocation of Permit,’ read.

Dignitaries billed to be at the event were former Nigerian independent presidential aspirant, Peter Obi; President of the Economic Freedom Fighters of South Africa, Julius Malema; one-time Director of the Kenya School of Law, P.L.O Lumumba; and former Permanent Representative of the African Union to the United States, Arikana Chihombori-Quao.

Following this, it has emerged that Cheddar, the brain behind the event, met with John Dramani Mahama, the NDC’s flagbearer, together with some of the dignitaries who were billed to speak at the Black Star Line Festival.

In a tweet shared by Dele Momodou, of Ovation International, he shared photos of the meeting of Cheddar, with P.L.O Lumumba and others, with the former president and Flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Mahama.

“After the aborted gathering of radical African leaders, (including Timi Frank, Prof. PLO Lumumba, Labour Party Presidential candidate Peter Obi, Dr. Arikana Chihombori-Quao and Freedom Jacob Caeser) invited by NANA KWAME BEDIAKO (aka CHEDDAR) to meet in Accra, Ghana for the launch of the New African Convention movement, some of the leaders today met with former PRESIDENT JOHN DRAMANI MAHAMA, the NDC Presidential candidate in the DECEMBER 7, 2024, elections in Ghana…

“It is not clear if CHEDDAR has decided to throw his full weight behind His Excellency JOHN MAHAMA…,” he wrote in his post.

Musicians including Efya, Stonebwoy and Wiyaala were also billed to perform at the event which was canceled at the last minute.