Politics of Tuesday, 16 August 2016

Source: starrfmonline.com

NPP wants Afoko back - Bugri Naabu

Mr. Paul Afoko and Nana Addo Mr. Paul Afoko and Nana Addo

The Northern regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Daniel Bugri Naabu, says the NPP wants its suspended National Chairman, Paul Afoko back.

He said the party believes that Mr. Afoko will return to the NPP because “he is an NPP [member], no doubt” adding that “we will welcome him and so he should come back.”

An Accra Human Rights Court Monday dismissed Mr. Afoko’s challenge of the legality of his suspension by the NPP, explaining that he has no case. As a result, Mr. Afoko remains indefinitely suspended.

But, Mr. Afoko in a statement said he has instructed his counsel to study the judgment affirming his sanction, and to appeal “at the appropriate time.”

Welcoming the decision of the court Bugri Naabu called on Mr. Afoko to appologise and return to the elephant fraternity.

“We welcome what the court has done and that is the right decision. He took to the court and the court has demonstrated the right decision. He should apologise to the hierarchy of the party because the path he took was too bad,” stated Bugri Naabu on Accra-based Citi FM Monday.

The lead counsel for the NPP Godfred Dame described Mr. Afoko’s resolve to appeal the dismissal of his suit against the party as “worrying”.

Mr. Afoko said in statement signed by his spokesperson Nana Yaw Osei that “It has always been emphasised that this legal battle is not about personalities but about the restoration of our party to its core values of respect for one another's opinion, the rule of law and the need to remain united in face of all challenges.”

However, Mr. Dame said even though the party has no qualms whatsoever about Afoko’s quest to appeal the court’s judgment, it is simply “needless” and petty.

“…This indication by Mr. Afoko is very worrying,” he said.

He said in the wake of calls for reconciliation, he was surprised that “…Afoko will more or less want to act contrary to the spirit of unity, peace and reconciliation shown by the party by going further up to the appeal system.”

“It is totally frivolous and mischievous,” he argued adding “…I have never seen any high profile case in all my practice laden with so much mischief and frivolous as this one.”