Since the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the New Patriotic Party unanimously suspended Paul Afoko as National Chairman indefinitely, he has been startlingly, and in some cases, preposterously still holding himself up as the legitimate chairman of the NPP even though the whole World knows he is no longer the occupier of that position.
The First National Vice Chairman, Hon. Freddie Blay, is the Acting National Chairman of the party at least indefinitely for now. It is in the interest of Paul Afoko to plump out for the internal appeal procedure of the NPP if he has anything against his unanimous suspension.
He has a maximum of 21days to activate his appeal and he must be quick to take advantage of that opportunity than going to the media to claim he is still the chairman when it is known that he can’t call any meeting of the party at even the polling station where he votes as Chairman of the NPP.
It was astonishing how he took to the media shouting that the internal procedure that was used to suspend him was illegal. His assigns and associates took to the media and made all sorts of allegations against decent people of the party to no avail.
The suspended chairman was also at the Alisa Hotel in Accra during the EC’s public forum on the voters register and described himself as the one leading the NPP delegation to the forum even though his name was not on the official list of party persons who were mandated to represent the party there.
So humdrum was his claim that the NPP did not even deem it necessary reacting to him. The sincere truth is that the former chairman of the party is making extreme mockery of himself as long as he continues to refer to himself as chairman of the NPP. It presents him as a subject of mockery and my suggestion to him is that he should quickly come to terms with the reality of his suspension. It will be dignifying to him.
The greatest confirmation that Paul Afoko was no longer the chairman of the NPP was once again made practical on the 3rd of November, 2015, when both the NEC and National Council meetings were held at the NPP Headquarters at the instance of Chairman Blay. The Presidential Candidate of the NPP was in attendance. Alhaji Mahamud Bawumia was in attendance as well as the parliamentary leadership of the NPP in parliament.
The director of communications of the NPP reported that over 90 members of the National Council attended and also reaffirmed Chairman Blay as the Acting National Chairman. It must be stated that the meeting took place amidst Afoko still claiming it was illegal and contempt of Court for Chairman Blay to call and chair such a meeting.
It was made very clear that no Court has served the NPP sermons not to hold any meeting. So the claim that the NPP was holding NEC meeting illegally was more of someone’s opinion than a legal issue.
The NPP is a Limited Liability Company with internal structures competently in place to resolve any issues of the party. Any member of the party who wants the good of the party will take advantage of the internal structures and exhaust same before heading to Court if need be at all.
It is therefore awkward that persons who claim to be members of the NPP will rather choose to go to Court rather than follow laid down procedures of the party if they have grievances against the party. I do believe deep in my heart that such persons must be investigated thoroughly to be sure they are, in the first place, members of our party
Afoko will be very better off resorting to the party and not the media. His assigns must be told that the party is bigger than any individual. Nana Addo is the leader of the NPP and Alhaji Bawumia is his partner. We are working and praying towards the victory of the NPP in the election of next year. It is the victory of Nana/Bawumia that will give us the Jubilee House. We must all unite solidly behind them for victory. That is what is supreme for now.
Akilu Sayibu
Email: Akisayi@yahoo.com