AFOKO, K. AGYAPONG Thrown-Out From NPP Headquarters -As Nana thugs plan fresh assault Latest information picked up by the Republic newspaper indicates that the National Chairman and General Secretary of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) Paul Afoko and Kwabena Agyei Agyapong respectively, are unable to report for work at the NPP headquarters a day after machete-wielding party members launched a bloody attack on them on Tuesday. It appears tempers will not calm at the NPP headquarters anytime soon, as reliable party sources have told this paper that there are plans for more violent assaults to be launched at the two embattled officials and their heavily armed body guards if they appear at the party’s headquarters. The machete-wielding assailants who stormed the party headquarters on Tuesday are said to belong to the feared armed group within the party referred to as the “Invisible Forces” whose allegiance appear to tilt towards the party’s twice-defeated presidential candidate, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo. In a number of media interviews on Wednesday, Kwabena Agyapong admitted to the threat on his life, accusing other members of NPP executives of “ganging up” on him and the National Chairman. A strong critic of the National Chairman and the General Secretary, Hajia Fati Amadu, a staunch member of the party and the Krowor Constituency polling station Chairperson of the NPP vowed that if the two would be ousted if their activities will breed divisions in the party, “If he [Kwabena Agyapong] says he will spoil the party, we will get him out,” she was quoted saying on Wednesday. Enter Hajia Fati It is believed that Hajia Fati’s vociferous outburst of verbal insults on the General Secretary and the party Chairman inspired the Tuesday mayhem caused by the Invisible Forces who violently attacked a group of armed body guards dispatched by Paul Afoko and Kwabena Agyapong to protect them during a controversial press conference. The Invisible forces attacked the Paul Afoko/Kwabena Agyapong gang of body guards and their supporters during a hurriedly organised press conference by the duo to dispel certain notions that they were autocratically running the party, The recent ‘unilateral’ dismissal of certain party officials believed to be allies of Akufo Addo was seen by the machete mop as a direct affront on the veteran flagbearer who is seeking the mandate of the party for the third time. A case of Dismissal His unilateral sacking of the Acting Director of Communications of the NPP-Perry Okudzeto under the pretext of asking him to ‘proceed on leave’ has attracted intense anger in the party. Kwabena Agyapong is being blamed for his “Egoistic” running of party affairs. Last week, Perry Okudzeto was handed a letter from Kwabena Agyapong, asking him to “With immediate effect” proceed on leave, and while at it, he should hand over all party properties. A shocked Mr. Okudzeto said it was like a military dictatorship. Freddie Blay the First Vice-Chairman of NPP expressed shock at what he said were a tendency that could “gravely affect us as a party”. “Kwabena Agyapong is taking so many things for granted; he should know the NPP is not his property” Freddie Blay was quoted. Prominent leaders of the party, including first vice-chairman Freddie Blay, Council member Dr Kwame Amoako-Tuffuor and others members of the NPP’s NEC have criticised Kwabena Agyapong, who is nursing a presidential ambition on the NPP’s ticket, of sidelining them in important party decisions since he became General Secretary. Kwabena Agyapong and Paul Afoko are believed to be strong opponents of the twice defeated presidential candidate of the party and are doing everything possible to offset the relative popularity that Akufo Addo is enjoying. The two are said to be strong allies of John Alan Kwadwo Kyeremanteng, Akufo Addo’s strongest opponent for the flagbearership bid. Powerful backing Kwabena Agyapong is said not to be operating alone, party sources told this newspaper that the General Secretary and the Chairman are fully being backed by very powerful individuals in the party who are bent on tilting the balance of power from Akufo Addo. These powerful individuals are believed to belong to the Ashanti Clique of the party who do not want their eternal rivals, the Akyem ethnicity to assume prominence in the party. Part of their strategies to frustrate the Akyem power base in the party is to victimize party officers perceived to be allies of Akufo Addo and is being systematically eliminated from the decision making realms of the party. Kwabena Agyapong with the support of the party Chairman, Paul Afoko, since assuming the helm of the party’s administration, has unilaterally sacked party officials and replaced them with his hand-picked ‘cronies’ against party regulations and without consulting the National Executive Committee-the highest decision making body of the party. The first person to be sacked was Opare Hammond the Director of Finance and Administration of the NPP. He was sacked for No concrete reason”. According to Opare Hammond, he was summoned to a meeting with Paul Afoko and Kwabena Agyapong, where he was told they cannot work with him. According to party sources, Kwabena Agyapong’s authoritarian reign has alienated several party supporters. For instance, he has driven away all the party supporters who hang around the party headquarters, saying were defacing the place. He has also set out strict conditions for party supporters who wish to meet with him; they need prior appointment, otherwise he would not entertain them. Recently a party delegation from the Northern Region who wanted to meet with the General Secretary were turned away because they did not have prior appointment. He is said to have ordered officials at the headquarters to come to greet him in his office every morning when they report for work. He is often seen holding a hand sanitizer which he applies immediately he shakes hands with any party member. Coup d’état Kwabena Agyapong’s woes appear to be worsening as the Republic newspaper has picked up signals that the party’s regional executives are prepping to pass a vote of no confidence in the embattled General Secretary as a precursor to an impeachment move on him. According to Hajia Fati, she will vigorously campaign across all constituencies to ensure that executives there pass a vote of no confidence on the NPP’s Chairman and General Secretary. The Northern Regional Chairman NPP, Bugri Naabu has alleged that the behaviour of Kwabena Agyapong, makes him convinced that he had been compromised by the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC). According to him, in an attempt to sow seeds of discord in the main opposition party, Paul Afoko and Kwabena Agyapong have been given mouth-watering deals by the NDC. He vowed to champion the ouster of the two. Other members of the party are seriously considering impeachment moves on the two beleaguered executives. therepublicnewsonline
Posted on: Thu, 21 Aug 2014 10:14:12 +0000
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