Some aggrieved supporters of the main opposition New Patriotic Party are calling for the suspension of the party’s acting chairman Freddie Blay.

They group, made up of constituency executives of the elephant family, are accusing the first Vice Chair of the party of financial impropriety.

In a petition to the National Council of the party, the group said Mr. Blay and the party’s National Treasurer Abankwa Yeboah illegally re-activated a party account and used monies from it without the approval of the national chairman and general secretary as stipulated by the party’s financial regulations.

"Mr. Freddy Blay together with the National Treasurer, Mr. Abankwa Yeboah reactivated a dormant party account with the name ‘NPP 2010 Campaign and operated it without the knowledge of the National Chairman, Mr. Paul Afoko, the General – Secretary, Mr. Kwabena Agyepong, Steering Committee, National Executive Committee, National Council and the National Finance Committee. This is a clear misconduct and a case of insubordination on the part of Mr. Freddy Blay which violates Article 9 (E) of the NPP’s constitution."

Below are details of the petition

PETITION AGAINST THE 1ST NATIONAL VICE-CHAIRMAN OF THE NPP, MR FREDDY BLAY

As card bearing members of this party, we wish to bring to the fore of this honourable body under Article 4(3) d of the party’s constitution on the gross misconduct, violation of the party’s constitution and the breach of the party’s secrecy for private gain by no less a person than, Mr. Freddy Blay, the 1st Vice – Chairman of our party.

Mr. Freddy Blay since he became the 1st Vice-National Chairman of the NPP, has consistently through overt and covert means brought the general interest of the party into jeopardy.

Mr. Freddy Blay together with the National Treasurer, Mr. Abankwa Yeboah re-activated a dormant party account with the name ‘NPP 2010 Campaign and operated it without the knowledge of the National Chairman, Mr. Paul Afoko, the General – Secretary, Mr. Kwabena Agyepong, Steering Committee, National Executive Committee, National Council and the National Finance Committee. This is a clear misconduct and a case of insubordination on the part of Mr. Freddy Blay which violates Article 9 (E) of the NPP’s constitution which stipulates that. “There shall be three (3) National Vice- Chairpersons ranked first, second and third, according to the number of votes received at the election at the National Annual Delegates Conference. The 1st National Vice-Chairperson, being the most senior, shall act for the National Chairperson in his or her absence, and the others in descending order as the occasion may require. The National Vice-Chairpersons shall assist the National Chairperson in the running of the Party and shall be assigned such duties as may be prescribed by the National Council, the National Executive Committee and the National Chairperson”.

This matter is a subject of an on-going investigation. However, it is also important that it is brought to the attention of this honourable body due to its serious nature, especially so, when a colossal amount of over GHC5million was diverted into that account and expenses amounting to the tune of over GHC1million made without the knowledge and prior approval of the authorizing/spending officers.

Though the matter is before the sub-committee of NEC and also a subject of police investigation, Mr. Freddy Blay disregarded these bodies as well as the call to keep internal matters off radio. He consequently chose to go into the court of public opinion and traded internal party matters on radio (Joy fm news and its affiliates across the country). He accused the National Chairman and General Secretary of misusing party funds and writing letters to the various banks operated by the party that they are the only two people that should be running it, a claim which has since been proven to be untruth.

Again, Mr. Freddy Blay instead of presenting his side of his story to the sub-committee constituted by the National Executive Committee to look into the matter, he decided to write to the Police Service through his Solicitor, which he consequently leaked to the media through his assigns and published it on the front page of his own newspaper (Daily Guide). This situation I believe intensified the publicity of this matter. This happened soon after the Presidential Candidate of our party had announced his scheduled for the Rise and Build nationwide tour.

Mr. Chairman, I also want to bring to your urgent notice, the alleged complicity of Mr. Freddy Blay in the matter of the ADB bribery scandal which has in recent times gained currency within the media landscaped of our country. The matter is subjected to a police criminal investigation currently and has the tendency of damaging the image of our party in the eyes of well-meaning Ghanaians and the international community since it involves Mr. Freddy Blay who occupies an important position within our party, thus, 1st Vice-National Chairman.

It is also alleged that Mr. Freddy Blay masterminded the secret recording against the NPP siting Member of Parliament, Mr. Alexander Afenyo Markins through one Bonzoh K who is his Special Assistant and the party’s Parliamentary Candidate for the Ellembelle constituency.

It is further alleged that, Mr. Freddy Blay was the conduit to which a deal was brokered between ADB and Mr. Alexander Afenyo Markins to abort a Supreme Court proceeding against ADB in the sale of its public shares. It is also alleged that there were some degree of bribery and extortions, and therefore, when the deal went bad, Mr. Freddy Blay decided to ruin Mr. Alexander Afenyo Markins by setting him up for recording through his long standing protégé and aide, Bonzoh K.

It must be noted that, ADB is a government owned bank and therefore, its dealings with our party’s 1st National Vice-Chairman of our party must be a great worry to us all. The complicity of Mr. Blay in this matter has a high probability that he may be compromised or even be blackmailed by government into doing its bidding. A situation either way, I believe can be fatal to the electoral fortunes of the NPP.

I believe that this matter bothers on criminality and its consequences thereof, has the potency of shaking the foundations of our great party and opening us up for ridicule and propaganda by our political opponents.

The party therefore cannot risk its core objective of attaining political power to the actions and inactions of Mr. Freddy Blay as we enter into an election year.

Mr. Chairman, the Daily Guide is a widely circulated newspaper which enjoys from the numerous newspaper reviews on almost all the radio and television stations across the country. The front pages of this newspaper has been used consistently to publish internal party matters and also negative publications against the National Chairman and General Secretary of our party. This entrenches the negative discourse of internal party matters within the public. This action alone by the Freddy Blay owned newspaper without a shred of any doubt, contributes to the overwhelming tension and negative publicity that has characterized the party since last year. This is a clear violation of Article 3 (D) i,ii,iii&v of the NPP’s constitution, which states that: A member shall i. Protect and promote the good name of the Party; ii. Protect the unity of the Party; iii. Be loyal and truthful to the Party; v. Carry out his or her duties faithfully and with honesty to the best of his or her ability.

I also want to emphasis on the breach of secrecy on the part of Mr. Freddy Blay and especially for his private gain. There are several instances where the Daily Guide Newspaper has published proceedings from the our party’s Steering Committee, National Executive Committee and National Council meetings in a twisted manner against certain senior National Officers. It is trite knowledge that all proceedings at these meetings are strictly confidential, and therefore to find contents of such proceedings on the front page of the 1st Vice-National Chairman’s newspaper including that of the National Disciplinary Committee is unethical and a breach of secrecy which he has sworn to uphold. An example of such publications are ‘AFOKO FLOORED AT NPP COUNCIL MEETING’ ‘AFOKO FIGHTS NPP ELDERS’ ‘NPP DECIDES AFOKO FATE’. Also, the Daily Guide Newspaper has mostly been the first to break negative and mischievously crafted stories against the National Chairman, Mr Paul Afoko and General – Secretary, Mr. Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, without recourse to the larger interest of the party. These are privileged information’s which should have remained within the party. The actions of Mr. Freddy Blay through his newspaper is contrary to Article 3 (D) i,ii,iii&v of the party’s constitution.

It is instructive to note that Mr. Freddy Blay is the owner and Chief Executive Officer of Western Publications Limited, who are publishers of the Daily Guide newspaper. Therefore, the claim that Mr. Freddy Blay is distinct from the editorial of the Daily Guide newspaper and therefore has no interest in its publications is very weak and untenable. Mr. Freddy Blay as a publisher of the aforementioned newspaper has an absolute interest in its growth and ensuring that its publications and anything emanating from it meets their required standard or suits their agenda. It must be noted that it is a profit making entity and therefore will do anything to maximize its sales.

Anytime the party enjoys some relative peace, Mr. Freddy Blay’s newspaper find a way to give the party negative publicity or spark-up another internal feud through its mischievous publication. This is becoming unbecoming of the 1st Vice-National Chairman and his Daily Guide newspaper. Therefore, the party must not continue to tolerate such behaviour.

We are by this petition praying to this important body of our party to look into all the issues we have raised and invoke disciplinary measures through the National Disciplinary Committee and sanction Mr. Freddy Blay for his gross misconduct, violation of the party’s constitution and the breach of the party’s secrecy for private benefits in accordance with our party constitution. I believe that for the greater good of the party, a suspension of Mr. Freddy Blay will suffice in order to bring a lasting peace and harmony within our party.

We have also attached to this petition documents and audio recordings as evidences to back all the claims raised herein.

For your kind consideration.

Yours sincerely,

..SIGNED...

Richmond Yeboah

Member, Adansi-Asokwa Constituency

..SIGNED...

Sampson K Nimako Darko

Member, Secondi Constituency

CC: NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

NATIONAL CHAIRMAN

PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE

FORMER PRESIDENT JOHN AGYEKUM KUFUOR

GENERAL SECRETARY

ALL STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBERS

MINORITY LEADER IN PARLIAMENT

NATIONAL DICIPLINARY COMMITTEE