PNC, Atik Mohammed in tango
There is a showdown between the People’s National Convention(PNC) and its suspended General Secretary, Mr Mohammed Atik.
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Mr Mohammed, who was suspended on July 22, 2017, insists he remains the General Secretary of the party and has had his lawyers written to the party to rescind its decision.
But the party, in a swift move, has officially taken over of Mr Mohammed’s office.
Sources within the party said the decision to lock out Mr Mohammed was taken after he failed to hand over keys to his office as well as other party property in his possession by a July 28, 2017 deadline.
According to the party, Mr Mohammed, despite having been served with the suspension letter/notice by the National Executive Council (NEC), kept “sneaking” into his office at the party’s headquarters.
Atik’s lawyer writes to PNC
Relatedly, a lawyer for Mr Mohammed has accused the party’s NEC of overstepping its boundaries in the suspension.
Mr Samson Lardy Anyenini of A-partners@Law in a letter to the PNC on behalf of his client, said the decision was in violation of the party’s constitution and, thus, must be rescinded.
His lawyer said in the letter to the PNC dated Tuesday, August 1, that: “We hold the instruction of the lawfully elected and constitutionally recognised General Secretary of the People’s National Convention (PNC), Atik Mohammed, to reply your letter of 24th July, 2017 on the above subject matter. We start by stating categorically that the decision by a few members of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) to indulge in the action purporting to suspend our client was/is completely alien to the PNC Constitution and due process of the law generally.
“The purported actions were/are absolutely not in compliance with the PNC’s constitution and due process.
“Consequently, the purported actions were/are not only ultra vires on two separate levels, but such an egregious assault of the PNC Constitution, due process, good conscience and our client’s rights that same cannot be given any regard whatsoever by our client.”
Background
The PNC at its extraordinary NEC meeting held on July 22, said Mr Mohammed had misconducted himself, thus, violating the party’s constitution. A vote of no confidence was reportedly passed on him at the meeting, leading to his suspension.
He was accused of criticising the decision by Dr Edward Mahama, the party’s 2016 Presidential Candidate to accept an appointment by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to serve as Ambassador-at-Large without recourse to the party.
Meanwhile, the leadership of the PNC has taken inventory of things in Mr Mohammed’s office while plans are underway to secure a restraining order against the embattled General Secretary.
