Wrangling In Opposition NPP NEW PARTY TO EMERGE -By December 2015

Trapped in a web of possibly remaining in opposition even after next year’s elections, the future of the New Patriotic Party is even becoming more dire and bleak, as information reaching The aL-hAJJ indicates, the party is on the verge of breaking up.

 

While the potential split of the NPP is something that has been lingering on for some time now, the final straw, signaling the ultimate split of the party, is the ongoing move by Council of Elders to use the party’s Disciplinary Committee to remove party’s National Chairman, Paul Afoko, who they have accused of violating the NPP’s constitution.

 

There are also moves by the NPP council of elders, (described by former Communication director of ‘Akufo Addo 2012’ Campaign, Dr Arthur Kennedy, as appendages of the NPP flag bearer, Nana Akufo Addo,) to also get the party’s General Secretary, Kwabena Agyapong sacked.

 

According to a member of the NPP’s Council of Elders, Boniface Gambilla, the National Chairman is the main person that must be dealt with immediately before attention is turned on Kwabena Agyepong.

“Everybody and his time…monkeys play by sizes…they are different positions and you look at the value and impact of each position…and you look at the antecedents and the precedents,” Gambilla told Starr News’ Ibrahim Alhassan in an interview.

 

Paul Afoko, according to the party’s council of elders, has contravened the party’s constitution by publicly discussing the finances of the NPP.

He is also accused by loyalists of the party’s 2016 flag bearer to be working to ensure Nana Addo is defeated come 2016.

The looming breakup of the biggest opposition will go to confirm The aL-hAJJ’s publication of Tuesday, February 18, 2014 that a different party will emerge from the NPP as it happened in 1979 ahead of the 2016 elections.

 

This dangerous move by the Council of Elders, some leading members and supporters of the party who spoke to this paper observed, “Has made their continuous stay in office as advisors and arbiters untenable.”

 

“Per our constitution, the National Council is to solve disputes among members and serve as advisors but some of them have unfortunately taken sides on the current impasse in the party to the extent that they have written to the party’s Disciplinary Committee to suspend Paul…with this act, they have lost any moral right to remain in office as advisors and arbiters,” a senior member of the party told this paper.

 

The NPP kingpin quizzed, “Do you think Paul will from today take a decision coming from the (National Council) in good faith after they have demonstrated their bias in so far as the alleged embezzlement of party funds is concerned?

I can tell you that if they also succeed in getting Paul Afoko and Kwabena Agyapong kicked out of the party…, they (duo) will not take it lying low, they will have several options to fall on among which is to form a new party latest by December this year…, I can tell you”, the NPP bigwig who pleaded anonymity stated.

 

Sounding very dejected and perplexed the hitherto boisterous NPP bigwig who has severally trumpeted the party’s victory in 2016, with a sorrowful tone, said “we are finished…the National Council is our last hope, now that they have also compromised their position, there is no hope in sight. I foresee a new party emerging from the party soon”

 

The NPP has for some time now snatched media headlines for all the wrong reasons as the party’s internal squabbling continues to deepen the mistrust and suspicion that exist among the leadership of the party.

 

A seven-page letter signed by chairman of the council, C.K Tedam, to NPP’s Disciplinary Committee, ordered that steps be taken to suspend Mr. Paul Afoko from the position of Chairman of the largest opposition party until after the 2016 polls.

 

This development, coupled with the already tensed situation in the party, has thrown the NPP into another sore position, with the possible replication of the 1979 incident that led to Paa Willie and his supporters breaking away to form the United National Convention from the NPP’s forebears, Popular Front Party.

 

Meanwhile, The aL-hAJJ has gathered that leading members of the party and admirers of the two troubled National Executives, particularly Paul Afoko, would not mind stepping out of the NPP fold in the event they are suspended.

 

“They have falsely but consistently accused Paul and Kwabena of working against Nana for which reason they have severally tried to remove them from office…they should just try it and they will see the real power of we the supporters. All of us want to see the NPP in power in 2016, but the way they are going, I’m afraid, the party will breakup soon,” a well-known communicator of the party (name withheld) told The aL-hAJJ recently.