Boafo, Okudzeto wade into NPP crisis
Two pioneer members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) have waded into the crisis facing the party, calling for cool heads to prevail.
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They have asked the flag bearer, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, and former President J.A. Kufuor to douse the raging “fire” that is threatening to break the party apart.
Messrs S.K. Boafo, a former Minister of State, and Sam Okudzeto, a leading member of the party and legal luminary, noted that the current controversy did not augur well for the party’s fortunes in the next general election.
While Mr Boafo passionately appealed to the leader and flag bearer of the NPP to do whatever was required to end divisions within the party, Mr Okudzeto underscored the need for an urgent intervention by former President Kufuor to pull the NPP from the brink.
Peace mediation
In line with his appeal, Mr Boafo suggested to Nana Akufo-Addo to urgently set up a ‘Peace Mediation Committee’ to investigate the crisis which is threatening the party.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic yesterday, Mr Boafo, who was the Ashanti Regional Minister between 2001 and 2006, as well as the Minister for Chieftaincy Affairs from 2006 to 2009, recalled that during the 2012 elections, Nana Akufo-Addo set up a similar committee to look into the challenges that had cropped up during the party’s parliamentary primaries.
“As a member of that committee, which was chaired by a former MP, Ms Frema Osei-Opare, we were able to resolve the issues for the party to prosecute its campaign in unity and peace,” he said.
Internal wranglings
Following the sudden death of Alhaji Adams Mahama, the Upper East Regional Chairman of the NPP, last week, factionalism has taken centre stage within the party.
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While some regional executives of the party have called on the National Chairman, Mr Paul Afoko, and the General Secretary, Mr Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, to step aside, a new group called ‘Save NPP Now’ has called for the resignation of the flag bearer, Nana Akufo-Addo.
With these forces at play, it appears the centre of the party is far from holding together, even after Alhaji Mahama’s burial.
Need for unity
In Mr Boafo’s view, “the only way that the NPP can work to achieve victory in 2016 is to unite and rally around the flag bearer”.
“There is need for unity in all sectors, starting from the grass roots, polling stations, constituencies, the regional and the national levels. If you do not want victory in 2016, then you can afford to nurse hatred, division and rancour,” he said.
Criminal matter
On the sudden death of Alhaji Mahama last week, Mr Boafo said, “Any reasonable being will not be happy with his death. But painful as it is, the murder is a straight-forward criminal matter and so the police must be allowed to do their work efficiently and professionally.
He insisted that the party’s rank and file must remain calm and avoid any unguarded statements and acts that would affect the peace and unity prevailing in the party.
Sam Okudzeto
According to Mr Okudzeto, former President Kufuor was the most qualified person to rally the feuding parties together and calm down nerves.
He said there was the need for peace and sobriety to replace the tension and poisoned atmosphere.
The party elder pointed out that the NPP had a wonderful chance to wrest political power from the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2016 elections if the NPP would stop destroying one another’s reputation and unite.
“This is not the time for a fighting; somebody has already died and we need unity, love for one another and not divisions,” Mr Okudzeto told the Daily Graphic.