The attention of NPP Youth for Afoko has been drawn to a publication by the New crusading Guide news paper dated 11 February 2014 of a petition against the outstanding Paul Afoko, the incoming NPP national chairman.

This petition is defective in logic, conceived of cheap opportunism and enveloped in convenience. It further strips bear the desperation of its designers and their deep rooted ignorance on both the 1992 constitution and that of the party.

The petition holds that Paul Afoko should not be recommended as a candidate for the chairmanship because he was detained in usher fort for inciting people to resist the 1982 coup which overthrew a constitutionally mandated government. This certainly cannot be a brainchild of objective petitioners, more so, when the constitution is unambiguous in article 3(4) and five of the 1992 constitution:

Article 3(4): All citizens of Ghana shall have the right and duty at all times -

(a) To defend this Constitution, and in particular, to resist any prison or group of persons seeking to commit any of the acts referred to in clause (3) of this article;

(b) To do all in their power to restore this Constitution after it has been suspended, overthrown, or abrogated as referred to in clause (3) of this article.

Article 3(5) : Any person who suppresses or resists the suspension, overthrow or abrogation of this Constitution as referred to in clause (3) of this article, commit no offence..

It is critical that we do not at this crucial moment in our struggle towards regaining power, fan the age long NDC propaganda that portends that the NPP is an "Akan based party".

Afoko simply resisted the overthrow of a regime and the suspension of the constitution in adherence to our governing document. So, he is in the eye of the law a hero and not a villain. So if we won't celebrate him for that, we cannot scold him.

Paul Afoko has earned his position in the party by merit and attempting to cut-short his dream of chairing this great tradition on unmeritorious grounds frustrates the effort of millions of northerners in the party and whispers to them how insecure their future is in the party.

Clearly this the last straw-clutching attempt of his detractors to get him off the race after failing to match his vision in his detailed roadmap to recapturing power in 2016 dubbed “New Plan for Power".

We (YOFA) will humbly appeal to the vetting committee to disregard such flimsy intangibles in the vetting process and in as much as possible provide a level playing field for all the contestants so that the eventual victor will reflect the collective choice of our discerning electoral college.

Long live NPP

Spokespersons

Gilbert Afoakwa -0241171257

Felix Osarfo-0249134198

Nana Yaw-0546634285