Politics of Saturday, 23 March 2013

Source: The Herald

Kwabena Agyepong to oust ‘Sir John’

Reports from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) reveal that a discord has begun emerging among the rank and file of the party, working for some party stalwarts who are lobbying to oust the current national executives for failing to ensure victory for the party at the last election.

One of such stalwarts is Kwabena Agyei Agyepong who was part of the NPP’s team in the Electoral Commission’s (EC’s) ‘strong room’ and had signed over one hundred and fifty constituencies’ controversial pink sheets; he is among those feverishly eyeing the General Secretary’s position.

Insiders told “The Herald” that Mr. Agyepong, an ex-spokesperson for ex-President John Kufour has commissioned some lobbyist group to garner support to oust the rustic Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, otherwise known as ‘Sir John’ at next national executives elections.

Also interested in the General Secretary position is Nana Ogege Akomea, who currently occupies the non-elected position as Director of Communications for the party.

Kwabena Agyapong and Nana Akomea are respectively known to be members of the Kufuor bloc and Akyeam bloc of the NPP.

The Herald has also been reliably informed that Sammy Awuku, the current Deputy Director of Communication is also lacing his political boots to step into the shoes of the National Organizer, Alhaji Moctar Bamba, who had gone Absent Without Leave (AWOL) after the party’s defeat.

Mr. John Boadu, the Assin Fosu politician from the Central Region and one-time Youth Organizer of the party is also hoping to boot out the National Organizer, from his current position.

Mr. Fred Oware, the current first Vice- Chairman and owner of “Choice FM” and a former Chief Executive Officer of Bui Power Company is also patiently hoping to battle his boss Obestebi-Lamptey for his position.

Mr. Stephen Ntim, one-time first Vice- Chairman of the party is also on the sidelines, waiting for the opportunity to bounce back for the Chairman’s position after two unsuccessful attempts.

The Herald is informed that the aspirants on their secret lobbying exercises across the length and breadth of the country have been telling some of the possible polling station executives that all the current national executives must be booted out for failing to ensure victory for the party.

According to the aspirants, in 2008 when the party lost the presidential elections by a slim twenty three thousand votes, all the then national executives led by Mr. Peter Mac-Manu were shown the exit for letting the party down.

The aspiring national executives on their usual lobby exercises have been drawing an analogy that the current national executives cannot be allowed to stay in office because of the Supreme Court proceedings, especially when the party lost the 2012 Presidential polls to President John Dramani Mahama by three hundred thousand votes.

They have been telling the possible station executives that the current national executives must be ousted because they refused to work and banked all their hopes on the free Senior High Secondary (SHS) school policy of the party in the run-up to the 2012 elections.

In the days to come The Herald will be publishing who and who belongs to a particular faction as well as their lineages in the party