Raging feud in NPP...Akufo-Addo appeals for calm, but Afoko says unaware of press confab
The 2016 flag bearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has called on all NPP members and supporters to give peace a chance and allow the party’s structures to work.
Advertisement
“The finger pointing, the name calling, the insults, the lies, the denigrating of past and current leaders must stop,” he declared.
Speaking at a press conference at the party’s headquarters in Accra Friday, Nana Akufo-Addo also said, “His Excellency, John Agyekum Kufuor, second President of the Fourth Republic, remains an icon of our party and nation, whose legacy we in the NPP must jealously guard.”
Visibly absent from the conference, which was attended by some of the party’s national executives and bigwigs, was the party’s National Chairman, Mr Paul Afoko, and the General Secretary, Mr Kwabena Agyei Agyepong.
But when contacted, the national chairman explained to the Daily Graphic that he was neither informed nor invited to the conference.
The conference touched on the current internal wranglings in the party, Alhaji Adams Mahama’s death on May 21, 2015, as well as the way forward for victory in Election 2016.
Internal recriminations
According to Nana Akufo-Addo, there was absolutely nothing to be gained from internal recriminations within the NPP except that it provided fertile soil for its opponents.
In line with that, he underscored the need for normalcy to return to the party headquarters and offices, explaining that “this means, for instance, that the officers of the party, the national chairman and the general secretary, in particular, must have access to their offices at the party headquarters and not be hindered in any way from being able to conduct their duties”.
Other Trending Stories
He further asked the rank and file of the party to extend mutual respect to one another and listen to everybody, reminding the party, “I will not tolerate chaos within our party.”
“The recriminations against ourselves in this period of healing, I repeat, must stop. On the contrary, we should all embrace the laudable initiative of the national women’s organiser who is launching, as from this Sunday, here at the party headquarters, a week of fasting and prayers for the welfare of the NPP. I have no doubt that, with the help of Almighty God and by our collective determination, the storms that are currently buffeting the great, historic movement that the NPP represents will soon subside so that it can fulfil its mission of developing our nation in freedom,” he stated.
Period of mourning
He told the journalists that the ‘Adua’ prayers for the late Upper East Regional Chairman of the party, Alhaji Adams Mahama, was scheduled for June 7, 2015 in Bolgatanga, and, until then, “we remain in a state of mourning for our fallen colleague”.
On Alhaji Mahama’s tragic death, Nana Akufo-Addo described the circumstances surrounding it as having shaken the party and nation to abnormal depths.
“I admit freely to having been shaken to my inner core, and, thus, cut short my trip to Europe and returned home the very next day. It is a tragedy that I pray the Almighty would give us strength to deal with and spare us from a repetition,” he stated.
Since the tragedy, Nana Akufo-Addo pointed out, there had been a cacophony of voices within the NPP and the despair felt by many had been demonstrated in various ways.
He said the regional chairmen had led the cry and they had been followed by other important, identifiable groups and individuals within the party.
“It was to be expected that the regional chairmen should lead the cry; after all, Chairman Adams was one of them. It is especially sad for our party that this tragedy should befall us right at the time, indeed the first time, that we have a group of regional chairmen who have developed such a great sense of brotherliness among themselves. It is not surprising, therefore, that they should consider an attack on one of them as an attack on all of them. Hopefully, this act of infamy should bind them even tighter together,” he opined.
However, in the view of the flag bearer it was disrespectful for the memory of the late Mahama that such loud noises should continue within the party, while they were still officially mourning him. “A certain amount of outburst induced by the tragedy is understandable because of the extreme nature of the tragedy, but that should not mean that NPP members should behave out of character,” he said.
Way forward
Now that many sections of the party had spoken and made appeals, he said, the party structures should take over and deal with the issues that had been raised by the various groups.
He also said meetings of the National Executive Committee, the body charged with the responsibility for directing the affairs of the party, and the National Council, the highest decision-making body of the party, should be convened after the ‘Adua’ prayers to resolve the issues confronting the party.
Resolve to win 2016
According to Nana Akufo-Addo, he would focus on winning Election 2016 and forming an NPP administration that would restore hope to the nation.
Advertisement
“This nation deserves a competent, compassionate and honest government, and we in the NPP have to provide it so that Ghana can go back to a bright future of progress and prosperity. We have no choice. Let us stand together, shoulder to shoulder, in the cause of the NPP and make it happen for mother Ghana,” he said.
He concluded with a word from the Holy Scripture requesting “Peace be within us.”
Those present
Those present at the media engagement included party bigwigs such as Mr Hackman Owusu Agyeman, C.K. Tedam, Kamal Deen Abubakar, Mr Stephen Asamoah Boateng, Ms Otiko Djaba, Alhaji Rashid Bawa, Mr Freddie Blay, Mr Sammy Awuku and Mr Ishmael Ashitey.
The rest are Mr John Boadu, Nana Akomea and Mr Antwi Bosiako.
Advertisement