Diaspora News of Tuesday, 16 July 2013

Source: NDC Atlanta

The bizarre NDC USA congress - NDC Atlanta

The bizarre congress that will send NDC USA into abyss: NDC ATLANTA DECLARES

Once again, the disunity within the rank and file of NDC USA is expected to be deepened against the background of the just ended congress which did not follow laid down procedure, and which was fraught with intimidation with the call on the police to monitor such a simple family get-together.

Earlier on, NDC Atlanta supported a call to pass a vote of no confidence in the outgoing Chairman, Professor Agyenim Boateng, for abandoning the Chapter for over a year, and not providing the direction for NDC USA, causing a great deal of disunity and internal bickering, wrangling and infighting. We knew Agyenim Boateng will not contest the Chairmanship of NDC USA, but we were very convinced that he will abuse the power of the Chairmanship to ensure that his surrogates become the next Executives of NDC USA. And that was what happened at the just ended congress.

There were two main reasons, among others, why NDC Atlanta sent a delegation to the congress;

1. To support the call for the revised NDC USA bylaws to be approved based only on the provisions of Article Twelve of the existing NDC USA (formerly North America Coordinating Council) bylaws

2. To support the call for the so called new branches to be properly scrutinized in terms of their registration procedures, as clearly spelt out in Article Two, Section two of the existing NDC USA bylaws, knowing very well that some people will want to use these unsubstantiated new branches for their electoral benefits

When the time came for these main issues to be debated at the congress, Agyenim Boateng called the Police into the auditorium of the congress, as it were to intimidate and stall any dissenting views. People who raised their hands to challenge the modalities upon which these provisions of NDC USA bylaws were being flouted were totally ignored.

Agyenim Boateng moved the motion for the adoption of the revised bylaws, which was seconded by someone, to support its acceptance, forgetting how revised NDC USA bylaws can be adopted. Article Twelve of the existing NDC USA bylaws states;

“These bylaws may be altered, amended, or repealed and new bylaws may be adopted by 66.6% majority of the Council members present at any regular meeting or at any special meeting, if at least 30 days’ written notice is given of intention to alter, amend, or repeal or to adopt new bylaws at such meeting or vote of the members at any regular or special meeting or as the case may be”.

What transpired at the congress is illegal and the outcome must be ignored by members of NDC USA. And for the Police to be invited for such a simple matter bothering on the bylaws of an organization such as NDC USA, is absurd and must be condemned by all. We implored the leadership of NDC in Ghana to investigate this issue, because we of NDC Atlanta and we believe the majority of the existing branches of NDC USA take a strong exception to what happened at the congress. We did not send our delegation to such a simple family gathering for people to call Police on them.

Investigation conducted by our delegation at the congress revealed that some of the people who claimed to be representatives of the so called new Branches were not genuine.

Basically, people were invited from somewhere to represent some of these new Branches so they could vote for their preferred candidates. We don’t believe any NDC USA congress have ever ended with the invitation of the Police during a debate on its bylaws. It is a very bad legacy left behind by the outgoing Executives of NDC USA, and must be condemned.

It is sad that Agyenim Boateng and his lieutenants could not leave NDC USA in peace after their term in office have ended, but left this noble organization in pieces. A very bad seed has been sown, and we are yet to see it fruits.

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