Nana Ayew Afriyie, the Member of Parliament for Effiduase/Asokore, delivered a devastating broadside against the party's leadership, sparking a serious dispute within the New Patriotic Party (NPP). The party's long-standing animosities and divisions have been made clear by Mr. Afriyie's violent outburst.


In a harsh criticism, Ayew Afriyie charged that the NPP's top leaders, including National Organiser Henry Nana Boakye, General Secretary Justin Frimpong Kodua, and MP for Asokwa Madam Patricia Appiagyei, had ruthlessly "sold out" the Ashanti Region, the party's longtime stronghold, for merely a deputy minority leader post.

Afriyie claims that the Ashanti Region has been excluded from important leadership roles in spite of its substantial contributions to the party. Citing the absence of leadership in parliamentary business and representation on important topics, he questioned the region's worth in being reduced to the position of deputy minority leader.

According to Afriyie, "no one should be pleased with the magnitude of betrayal to Ashanti by a few self-centered individuals and the selling of strength and rightful position in leadership to other regional caucuses."

Patricia Appiagyei was singled out by Afriyie in a strong-worded remark, which said, "You are a big betrayal to the Ashanti caucus and council and very selfish." Instead of what we all stand for, it's all about you.

A WhatsApp conversation on the Ashanti NPP Members of Parliament page, with the group name "Official MPs and PCs Platform," that was intercepted by Isaac Justice Bediako, regional correspondent for GHOne News Ashanti, looked like this:

"Mama Pat, you are a huge betrayer to the Ashanti council and caucus and incredibly self-centered. Instead of what we all stand for, it's all about you. After we lost the 2008 elections, Ashanti united and accepted the minority. We are the region with the largest caucus, and you, Koduah, and Nana B have sold us out for a deputy leader today.

In addition, he questioned Appiagyei's participation in the caucus meeting, asking, "Why didn't you support the leader so that the issue might have been resolved? You remained present until we had decided what we wanted.

The Ashanti Region has been marginalized, according to the MP, who expressed his dissatisfaction and unhappiness with the party's decision-making process. Afriyie bemoaned the Ashanti Region's underrepresentation in important leadership roles.

Ashanti is still unfit to serve as a Chief Whip or leader because of our hardships. Therefore, what do we stand to gain from being reduced to the position of deputy minority leader?" he said.

He chastised Patricia Appiagyei, the MP for Asokwa, once more for taking the post of deputy minority leader.

"You have never led a business or talked on the floor about any topic from this position. For a prestigious company like ours, this is a disgraceful role," Afriyie said.

Additionally, Afriyie's remarks hinted at an alleged betrayal of former Majority Leader Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu, suggesting that he was the victim of a "coup d'etat" by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, General Secretary Justin Kodua Frimpong, and Majority Leader Afenyo Markin.

"I felt that this was the time to rectify the coup d'etat that Hon. Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu suffered at the hands of Afenyo, Koduah, and President Akufo-Addo," he stated.

Using the National Council meeting as an example, where the Ashanti Region's numbers were considered inconsequential, Afriyie attacked the party's leadership for disregarding the region's concerns. He claimed that when it came to the distribution of leadership roles, the Greater Accra group was given preference over the Ashanti group.

"Those who wanted us for deputy argued our numbers don't count in yesterday's National Council. However, the Greater Accra faction, led by Lord Commey and Prince (their organizer), yelled, "Greater Accra, Greater Accra," and Jerry Ahmed, a newcomer, was appointed as the second deputy whip. Mavis Nkansah Boadu, why not? This was our stance!

As the MP put it, "We shall live to regret this sell-out and needless trade-off!" and warned that the party's actions would have repercussions.

Concerned, Ayew Afriyie questioned what wrongs the Ashanti Region's residents had done to departing President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and what he called the "Akyem Mafias."

What exactly are Ashanti's transgressions under the control of the Akyem mafia and Akufo-Addo? Ashanti is completely suppressed," Afriyie said.

The Ashanti Region would never longer sacrifice its legitimate standing, solidarity, and power for subpar benefits, Ayew Afriyie urged.

"As a caucus, we must never again compromise our legitimate position in order to get better deals!" he said.

The MP bemoaned the lackluster economic and development possibilities in the area, blaming them on the caucus's readiness to accept less.


"We've endured enough hardships: inadequate businesses, development, etc. Afriyie underlined, "We didn't had to have traded our worth for such a lesser deal.

Context

The list of leaders for Ghana's upcoming Parliament has been made public by the New Patriotic Party (NPP), the incoming opposition party. The list states that Alexander Afenyo-Markin, who was previously Majority Leader, will now be Minority Leader. Frank Annoh-Dompreh, the Member of Parliament for Nsawam-Adoagyiri, will continue to serve as the Minority Chief Whip, and Patricia Appiagyei, the MP for the Ashanti Region's Asokwa Constituency, has been named Deputy Minority Leader.

Habib Iddrisu was appointed as the first deputy minority whip, and Jerry Ahmed Shaib, the newly elected MP for Weija Gbawe, was named the second deputy whip. The only new member of the NPP caucus leadership is Davis Ansah Opoku, who took Alex Tetteh's place as the outgoing 2nd Deputy Whip.