General News of Wednesday, 9 August 2017

Source: kasapafmonline.com

NDC members petition against Amidu groundless – Teye Nyaunu

Michael Teye Nyaunu Michael Teye Nyaunu

A former National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament(MP), Michael Teye Nyaunu says a petition by some agents of the party to take disciplinary action against former Attorney General Martin Amidu will come to nought.

The former Attorney General, Martin Amidu has been a thorn in the flesh of the NDC as he has consistently publicly attacked his fellow party members who were government appointees, as well as the former President, accusing them of engaging in corruption.

But there has been call for an action within the ranks of the opposition NDC to tame the vociferous leading member of the party vis a vis his consistent backlash against the party.

A petition has been filed by two party members Lawyer Evans Amankwah and Abigail Elorm Mensah to suspend Amidu from the party.

According to the duo, Mr. Amidu, “with exceptional determination and consistency and through many publications and other actions, conducted himself in a manner that has:

a. Brought and continues to bring the Party into disrepute and public ridicule contrary to Article 46(8) of the Party’s constitution; and b. weakened Party unity and cohesion contrary to article 45 of the party’s constitution.”

Their petition stressed that Mr. Amidu’s posturing is “carefully designed to expose the Party to public hatred, ridicule and opprobrium and to lower its reputation in Ghana and elsewhere.”
The petition added: “Accordingly, we wish the Executive Committee of the Party to take steps to bring disciplinary actions against the Accused.

b. We are willing and ready to assist the Executive Committee in investigating the matters listed above further with the aim of upholding the constitution of the Party."

Commenting on the development on Anopa Kasapa on Kasapa 102.5 FM Wednesday, Mr. Teye Nyaunu referred to the move as a “leaking bucket” insisting that there is no substance in the tough stance taken by elements of the party for Amidu to be suspended.

“Martin Amidu is a credible man, Martin Amidu has distinguished himself, Martin Amidu is a senior member of the party and when he’s making criticisms, I think we should objectively endeavour to analyse it rather than begin to criticize the man.” he said.

He contends Mr. Amidu has chosen the path of being a vocal critic of NDC matters because the party has a penchant for always coming out with crude ways to hit back at critics, misrepresenting their thoughts on matters and giving such persons a bad name in public, if one decides to write to the party secretly on issues.

For him, Amidu has done nothing wrong handling his views on matters the way he’s doing, as he might have taken a cue from the party’s behaviour and reaction towards the thorny issues mostly discussed by concerned individuals of the party.

“Our party is such that, when you go and give your views on a paper like that, they quickly come out first, misinterpret it, misrepresent it and rubbish the whole thing and paint you as a bad man. why do i like talking to the media? I talk to the media because people like to hear my voice directly and know what precisely I’m talking about, but go and tell somebody in the party, the party will misquote you and say you, you support this one that is why you are arguing like this and they end up destroying you. Martin is of age , i know Martin is above 60 years ,…Martin is first and foremost a Ghanaian before he becomes an NDC member, so Martin has got the right to talk the way he’s talking.”