Politics of Thursday, 10 March 2016

Source: The Catalyst Newspaper

Freddie Blay frets, as Afoko pinches NPP

The internal troubles of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) are far from over as its beleaguered chairman, Mr. Paul Afoko, pinches the party further to re-instate him, making a headway in his suit against the party.
Paul Afoko secured a ruling for the status of two members of the Disciplinary Committee that suspended him, to be determined.
The Accra High Court has adjourned the case to March 24, to allow the parties to present evidence on the case in which Mr. Afoko is challenging his suspension as the Chairman of the party.

Paul Afoko holds a strong view that the suspension was planned by his enemies in the party who had vowed to remove after failing to use the electorates against him during the general elections. “All those who voted at the Council meeting were against my candidature,” he alleged.
The progress of the case is sending cold shivers down the spine of acting Chairman of the party, Mr. Freddie Blay, whose is looking forward to leading the party into this year’s general elections.

Freddie Blay, working closely with Nana Akufo-Addo, fears his influence in the party would be reduced to nothing if Mr. Afoko succeeds with the case against the party and is scheming to maintain his position.
Nana Addo has been appealing to the Nzema people to vote the NPP to power on the basis that Freddie Blay is one of them.

The turn of events in the court case gives Mr. Afoko hopes of taking back his position and this is giving Mr. Blay some headaches for many reasons.
One of the actions Mr, Afoko would be expected to take if he gets a favorable ruling is an in-depth investigation into the operation of a separate account without the knowledge and involvement of the party chairman and secretary general.

One of the reasons Nana Akufo Addo plotted the removal of Mr. Afoko and Mr. Kwabena Agyapong from the party was their call for a probe into that case, something Nana Addo considered an affront to his authority.

Mr. Afoko is receiving support from leading members of the party from the Kufuor faction, who have been on the quiet for some time now.

Mr. Kwadwo Mpiani, former Chief of Staff, Mr. Stanley Adjiri Blankson, for Mayor of Accra, Cheik I.C. Quaye, Chairman of the council of Elders, among others, were in court to offer support to Mr. Afoko, whose troubles are linked to the fact that he is part of the Kufuor faction in the party.
The stage is set for more troubles for the party and in the event he wins, the question remains if he would be able to work with the dictatorship of Nana Akufo Addo and the likes of Freddie Blay in the party.

Stay tuned.