Afoko’s End?

NPP National Chairman, Paul Afoko

Asks Ekow Mensah

The jubilation over the apparent decision of the National Council of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to endorse the earlier decision of the National Executive Committee to suspend Mr. Paul Afoko as National Chairman of the party may be short

lived.

The singing and dancing of what was clearly the Akufo Addo faction after the National Council meeting of last Tuesday does not resolve any of the substantial issues awaiting resolution.

Mr Paul Afoko is still very much aggrieved and he insists that he is still the National Chairman of the party.

From all indications it is also clear that Mr Kwabena Agyapong does not share the joy of removing a popularly elected chairperson through what to all intent and purposes is a palace coup.

Kwabena Agyapong has also warned the party and its leaders of the dangers of ignoring court processes initiated by Mr. Afoko.

Interestingly, 30 members of the National Council did not show up at the meeting which appears to have endorsed the suspension of Mr. Afoko.

NPP General Secretary, Kwabena Agyepong

These included Mr Afoko himself, Kwabena Agyapong the General Secretary,former President J.A Kufour ,presidential aspirant Alan Kyeremanteng, Mr. Kwadwo Mpiani, former Chief of Staff and Mr Sammy Crabbe, Second Vice Chairperson of the Party

Three card bearing members of the party have filed contempt proceedings at the High Court against key members of the leadership for ignoring a court process which has been served on the party.

Although the party claims that it has not been served, Mr Kwabena Agyapong has confirmed that a writ has been served on him as General Secretary of the party.

Lawyers for Mr Afoko claim that the service on the General Secretary ought to be seen as service on the party.

Some party sources say that there are desperate behind the scenes moves to bring the warring factions together.    

They insist that the suspension of Mr Paul Afoko was absolutely needless and that the Akufo-Addo campaign could have proceeded with the National Chairman at post.

There are others who pose the question can Mr Afoko continue to function as the National Chairman even if the organs of the party refuse to co-operate with him?

Editorial

TERRORISM!

The assurance by Brigadier General Sampson Adjeti, Commander of the Southern Commander of the Ghana Armed Forces that his forces are ready for possible spillover of the activities of the Nigerian terrorist group, Boko Haram is most welcome news.

Boko Haram is proving to be a mindless group of blood thirsty religious pretenders, hell bent on returning the world to the Stone Age.

They kill with impunity as way of demonstrating their intolerance of the way civilized societies are run.

As far as these elements are concerned the world needs to give up its capacity to reason and to accept a world view based on superstition, dogma and the bloated egos of their leaders.

Ghana can ill afford the destructive activities of these goons and it is imperative that our armed forces should be readied for a confrontation with them.

We urge the Government to do all in its power to strengthen the Ghana Armed Forces to enable them deal effectively with this threat.