General News of Monday, 8 May 2017

Source: kasapafmonline.com

NPP gags members on Otiko/Naabu feud; warns offenders will be sanctioned

Acting NPP General Secretary, John Boadu Acting NPP General Secretary, John Boadu

The governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) has issued gagging orders to its member barring them from publicly commenting on the quarrel involving Gender Minister Otiko Afisa Djaba and the party’s Northern Regional Minister, Daniel Bugri Naabu.

According to the party, any member who flouts the directive will be ruthlessly dealt with.

The two senior party members have in the past three days launched scathing attacks against each other with serious allegations some of which borders on criminality being made in the media.

Whereas Otiko has claimed the Chairman has taken goats and cows as bribes and promised people jobs, the latter on his part has accused the Minister and her colleague of being involved in the plot that led to the murder of Adams Mahama, the late NPP’s Upper East regional chairman. A matter that is currently before an Accra High Court.

In an interview with Asempa FM Monday, John Boadu stated that the NPP sees the conduct of the two members as shameful and very reprehensible and as a result has taken steps to deal with the matter.

He said, meanwhile, the party wants its members to desist from granting any media interview on the matter as leadership puts in effort to resolve the quarrel.

“We should all stop discussing this issue. Any true member of the NPP worth his salt should cease commenting on this matter. This is not the time to publicy support either Bugri Naabu or Otiko. No one should respond to calls from the media. Whoever speaks on this matter will be sanctioned by the party, and I mean it. Anyone who dares comment on the matter after this warning will be dealt with ruthlessly by the party,” Boadu stated.

Background

The outspoken Northern Regional Chairman of the NPP on Friday lost his temper and disrupted a meeting that was underway led by the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection Otiko Afisa Djaba.

The controversial chairman in the company of some unruly women affiliated to the NPP stormed the meeting vandalizing properties in protest to what he described as the Minister’s disregard for his high office claiming she did not seek his consent before convening her meeting.

Mr. Naabu who described the meeting as “illegal” noted that the Gender Minister has no right to come to the region to organize a meeting without first informing the regional executives, saying that even the president would not throw his weight about in such manner.

“I have told the Minister point blank what she did was wrong. It is unconstitutional and therefore her meeting is illegal,” he declared to the admiration of the women accompanying him.

On the other side, the Gender Minister, Otiko Djaba who is livid about Chairman’s Naabu boisterous bahviour accused Bugri Naabu of handing out government jobs in exchange for items such as cows and goats.

She’s urged the leadership of the party to relieve Bugri Naabu, of his position following his act of lawlessness that has brought shame to the party.