The embattled founder and flag bearer of the United Progressive Party (UPP), Mr Akwasi Addai Odike, has said he cannot be dismissed from the party he founded.

The National Executive Council (NEC) on Tuesday, 12 March 2019 voted unanimously to kick Mr Odike out of the party.

Addressing the press shortly after the decision was made, Mr Bukari Kuoru, the acting General Secretary called on eligible Ghanaians interested in the flag bearer slot to pick nomination forms from the party’s office.

He said: “Upon several deliberations, NEC has resolved to weed out a thorn in the flesh of the UPP. In accordance with Article 29 and Article 16 (3) of the party’s constitution, Mr Kwesi Addai Odike has been dismissed indefinitely by a unanimous decision by NEC acting on the advice of the national council until further notice.

“Voting has been done and in compliance with Article 28 of the party’s constitution, Mr Kwesi Addai Odike, henceforth, ceases to be a member of the party and as such cannot carry out any executive duties, parade himself in the name of the party or on behalf of the party in any instance whatsoever.

“Now that he is out of the way, the UPP shall go on and any eligible Ghanaian interested in occupying any position in the party can come forward to the party’s office and take or pick a form”.

Reacting to the news of his dismissal, Mr Odike insisted he remains the founder of the party and cannot be kicked out.

He told Class News that: “Nobody can dismiss me from the party because I’m the founder and the leader of the party UPP until thy kingdom come, so, nobody can change it. It is in the EC’s books, anybody can come out and say something but we are in a constitutional era and I cannot follow pigs into gutters because we have a lot to do and when the time is right for us to organise ourselves, we’ll see who is the real owner of the party. So, I’ll not waste my time on these things.”