Nana Addo calls for end to hostilities in NPP

The flag-bearer of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has urged party members to make the sad death of the party’s Asawase activist, Abubakar Siddique, the end to all hostilities in the party.

He described the death as sad and unfortunate and called on party members to remain calm and refrain from taking the law into their hands.

Nana Akufo-Addo was addressing NPP supporters and relatives of the late Abubakar Siddique who was last week Friday stabbed to death for allegedly threatening to beat up the constituency chairman who was reported to have made some unpleasant comments about Nana Akufo-Addo.

He presented a cash donation of Ghc 2,500 to the family.

Siddique and his group had locked up the party’s office upon hearing that the Asawase Constituency Chairman, Mr Isaac Brenya and some constituency executives joined those party activists who went to Accra to demonstrate against the suspension of the party’s National Chairman, Mr Paul Afoko.

Nana Akufo-Addo said aside being a staunch party member, the deceased was his personal friend who was always at hand whenever he (Nana Akufo-Addo) was in Kumasi.

The flag-bearer said the party believed in democracy which did not have room for violent attacks and urged them to ensure that the sad demise of Siddique marked the end of such attacks in the party.

Court Remanded
On Tuesday, three out of the seven who were arrested in connection with the murder of Abubakar Siddique, were remanded in custody by the Asokwa Magistrate court.

The remanded persons who have been charged with murder are Osman Issah and Alhassan Issah both remanded in prison custody and Hajia Wasila Gariba who was placed in police custody for health considerations.

Their pleas were however not taken and they are expected to reappear on November 24, 2015.

Mr. Kwame Owusu-Sekyere, counsel for Osman and Hajia Gariba had pleaded with the court to admit his clients to bail while the police continued with their investigations.

Background
Mr Afoko was suspended indefinitely as the National Chairman of NPP on October 23, 2015 at an emergency National Executive Committee meeting in Accra.

In September, the party’s Council of Elders in a seven-page letter to the NPP’s Disciplinary Committee, counseled that steps be taken to suspend Mr. Paul Afoko from the position of Chairman.

After alleged several invitations to Mr. Afoko to appear before the Disciplinary Committee were not honoured, the Committee decided to recommend his suspension.

The party’s First Vice Chairman, Freddy Blay convened and chaired a meeting which endorsed the recommendation to suspend the embattled Chairman.

Reaffirmation
Last Thursday, the National Council affirmed the decision of the National Executive Council to suspend Paul Afoko indefinitely.

This was after Mr Afoko had petitioned the National Council about his indefinite suspension as the NPP National Chairman.

It was a total of 70 votes with one dissenting while six were absent, according to the party.