Asawasi murder: Ashanti NPP suspends 4 executive members; Police arrest 4 leaders
There appears to be no end in sight to the controversy that has dogged the decision of the National Executive Committee (NEC) and the Disciplinary Committee of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to suspend its National Chairman, Mr Paul Afoko.
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The controversy has affected four constituency chairmen in the Ashanti Region who have been suspended for their involvement in a demonstration at the party’s national headquarters in Accra last week.
The suspended chairmen are Akwasi Nti Asamoah, Fomena; Okai Kwanim, Ejisu; Isaac Brenya, Asawasi, and Joseph Agyapong Dapaah, Ahafo Ano South East.
The four are alleged to have mobilised supporters to demonstrate against the decision of the NEC to indefinitely suspend Mr Afoko.
Also affected by the suspension are the Asawasi Youth Organiser, Osman Issah; the Deputy Women’s Organiser, Osilla Gariba, and the Youth Organiser for Fomena, Sasu Apaa.
This followed petitions from members of the party in those constituencies to the Ashanti Regional executives over the conduct of the chairmen in the said demonstration
On November 5, 2015, hundreds of pro-Afoko supporters massed up at the NPP Headquarters in Accra demanding Mr Afoko’s reinstatement.
Amidst heavy police presence, the supporters waved pro-Afoko placards as they mounted pressure on the NEC to rescind its decision.
Some of the neatly designed placards read: "Freddie Blay is not our chairman", “Afoko yes; Blay, No".
The confusion in the party gathered momentum after its Upper East Regional Chairman, Alhaji Adams Mahama, died from an acid attack on him in May this year.
A brother of the beleaguered Mr Afoko, Gregory Afoko, is currently facing trial for his alleged involvement in that attack.
Asawase clashes
A clash between pro-Afoko and pro-Akufo-Addo supporters at Asawase last Thursday resulted in the stabbing to death of a 37-year-old man, Abubakari Saddick.
The deceased was a member of a group which had stormed the party office to stop alleged Afoko loyalists who had returned from the demonstration in Accra from reopening the office.
The office was locked up last Thursday by Mama China and Hajia Barikisu, who had accused the Constituency Chairman, Mr I. K. Brenya, of masterminding the mobilisation of party supporters to participate in the demonstration to kick against the decision by the NEC to suspend Mr Afoko.
Meanwhile, Daniel Kenu reports that four persons, including the Asawase Deputy Women's Organiser of the NPP, Wafila Brimah, have been arrested in connection with Saddick’s death.
The names of the rest are expected to be made public today at a press conference to be addressed by the Ashanti Regional Police Commander, DCOP Kofi Boakye.
Confirmation
Confirming the decision to suspend the four constituency chairmen to the Daily Graphic, the Ashanti Regional Secretary of the NPP, Mr Sam Pyne, said it was in line with Article 38 (I) of the party's constitution.
He said the members of the party in those constituencies accused the chairmen and the other suspended party executives of organising supporters to go to Accra to demand Mr Afoko’s reinstatement and appealed to the regional executive to deal with them.
According to him, the alleged action of the suspended executives was contrary to the NPP constitution, which requires that every member respect and uphold NEC decisions.
Disciplinary committee
He said all the suspended persons would have the chance to defend themselves when they appear before the disciplinary committee "which is likely to start sitting from today”.
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Ridiculous accusation
Reacting to his suspension, the Asawase Chairman, Mr Brenya, said it was ridiculous for anyone to accuse him of masterminding the mobilisation of the demonstrators, more so when he had personally voted for the flag bearer, Nana Akufo-Addo, at the national delegates congress.
He said he was ready to subject himself to any disciplinary process in the interest of the party and expressed the hope that he would be vindicated in the end.
“I would like to use this opportunity to plead with all NPP supporters in Asawase to exercise patience, as the matter is being investigated to deal with whoever is behind it,” he said.
Background
The NEC of the NPP had, by a unanimous decision, upheld the decision of the Disciplinary Committee to suspend Mr Afoko.
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That decision did not go down well with some supporters of the party who thronged the headquarters to demand his reinstatement.
Pro-Afoko and pro-Nana Akufo-Addo factions within the party also clashed at the Asawasi party office last Friday, leading to the death of Abubakari Saddick, 37.