Paul Afoko ‘pisses’ in

• Posted on November 19, 2015
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

At the time the New Patriotic Party (NPP) was hosting the media at the party’s Kokomlemle office, Accra, to respond to President John Mahama’s political tirades, suspended National Chairman Paul Afoko was busily challenging what in his opinion were flagrant breaches of the party’s Constitution.

He addressed himself as chairman of the party, although he is unable to convene National Executive meetings or even come to the office at the party headquarters.

There was heavy police presence at the venue of the press conference as he sulked over the indefinite suspension slapped on him by the party.

So prominent was the security cover that it prompted a journalist to ask how a suspended party chairman could organise such state security agents against the backdrop of the cost of using the venue for the media briefing.

Expectedly, Mr Afoko refused to answer the question.

He announced that he would go to court for an interpretation of the party’s Constitution, having exhausted all the available channels in the political grouping to quash the “step aside” action slapped on him.

He said he was turning to the court of law “before these series of illegalities affect our fortunes in the 2016 elections.”

Continuing, he said “This I seek to do not for Paul Awentami Afoko but in the interest of the party. This I seek to do for the protection of all party members and elected officers including the presidential candidate and for the preservation of our party’s integrity and domestic credentials.”

The suspended chairman warned that “if we allow our party to be ridiculed and bastardised the way some people seek to do, then we will have a party without a soul.”

Mr Paul Afoko, who at a point in his delivery almost broke down in tears, said the National Executive Committee sitting on October 23, 2015 was an illegality, having ignored the party’s due process on the suspension or removal of an elected person from office.

He quoted lavishly portions of the party’s Constitution to substantiate his claim when he for instance explained that “The disciplinary committee, without any referral from the National Council, illegally invoked its own jurisdiction. What makes this worse is that some members of the Council of Elders from which the complaint emanated against me are also members of the Disciplinary Committee.”

Turning to another supposed breach, he said “In further breach, the 1^st Vice Chairman went ahead and convened another illegal National Council meeting when according to the Constitution and convention, I should convene and recluse myself where the matters concern me.”

Paul Afoko was supported at the high table by the 3^rd Vice Chairman of the party, Sammy Crabbe and Daavi Ama, a former National Treasurer.

NPP Dismayed

The NPP, in a statement, expressed dismay that Paul Afoko had held a press conference raising issues which are currently before a court of competent jurisdiction.

A statement issued by the party’s Director of Communications, Nana Akomea, shortly after Paul Afoko’s press confab, said “The party is therefore surprised that Mr Afoko will canvas, at his press conference, those same issues before the courts.”

The party has therefore urged all officials and communicators to desist from speaking on these matters on the airwaves, as they are now matters before the court.

Mr Afoko, the NPP observed, “made reference to these court matters when he issued a message on Monday, 2^nd November, 2015 to members of the NPP National Council urging them to stay away from National Council meeting on the basis of this court action.”

The aforementioned case was brought before the court by Tweneboa Kodua and two others –  lawyers representing Mr Afoko.

By Solomon Ofori