Afoko Calls For Calm In NPP …In Spite Of Court Action

The National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Mr. Paul Afoko has said he and members of the National Executive are unfazed by the current challenges of the party because these challenges are temporary and surmountable.

He said the NPP will come out of them stronger and better prepared for the task of winning power in the 2016 general elections and to bring relief to the people of Ghana who are currently suffering under the excruciating weight of President Mahama’s Government.

In an interaction with a section of the media in Accra over the weekend, Mr. Afoko reaffirmed his commitment and that of the National Executive to remain honest and neutral arbiters in all the affairs of the party and to do good to all well meaning members and supporters of the party.

He said the court case brought against the party was unfortunate but will be resolved amicably. “It is a little matter bordering on our constitution and therefore cannot stall the progress of the party.” he added.

Mr. Afoko said people who really love the NPP and want to see it come to power cannot be engaged in actions that tend to divide the party instead of uniting it. He said the “measure of our commitment to this party should be seen in how much effort we put in to bring everybody together and on board and not to tell tales about who wins or who is floored in our internal debates.”

He called on all members and supporters of the party to stand firm and resolute behind the executives and desist from any kind of commentary that tends to drive wedges among the leadership. He also asked the media to be circumspect in their reportage and desist from false accusations and name calling as that can only compound the problems of the party.

The NPP has found itself in a legal tussle after a supposed member of the party filed a writ challenging the status of the party’s National Council as presently constituted.

David Hoezame is praying the Accra High Court to compel the NPP to follow the procedure outlined in its constitution and re-compose its National Council.

Also joined to the suit is the National Chairman of the Party, Paul Afoko.

The writ was filed on June 17, 2014.

Among others, Mr Hoezame is seeking “A declaration that announcement of the 6th day of December, 2014 as date for the election of the 1st Defendant’s presidential candidate as Null and Void; an Order directed at the Defendants to restore the Constitution of 1st Defendant Party to its original state and to duly and properly set up the National Council in accordance with the provisions of the 1st Defendant’s Constitution; an Order Restraining the 2nd Defendant from further breach of the 1st Defendant’s Constitution; and Costs.”

Mr Hoezame, who in his Statement of Claim describes himself as a fully paid up card bearing member of the NPP since 1992 insists the Paul Afoko-led executives have breached the NPP constitution by purporting to call for and take part in the deliberations of the National Council without reconstituting it after they were elected into office in April 2014.