The Northern and Ashanti regional executives of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) are yet to determine the fate of the National Chairman and the General Secretary of the party, Paul Afoko and Kwabena Agyepong.
The Northern regional executives will be meeting today while the Ashanti regional executives have been given three days to consult their constituents before meeting to make a decision.
The Northern Regional Chairman of the party, Burgi Naabu who confirmed this on the Citi Breakfast Show stated that the regional executives in the region will meet to advise themselves for the party’s interest.
[contextly_sidebar id=”5e1hLlQGCroLak0MwFS9vUkccP9wqV8X”]The meeting has been necessitated by incessant calls on the two leaders to resign over the murder of the party’s Upper East Regional Chairman, Adam Mahama.
Adam Mahama was killed in an acid attack last week and has since been buried.
The younger brother of Afoko, Gregory Afoko, was subsequently arrested by the Police over his alleged involvement in the case.
Circumstances leading to the murder of Adam Mahama have fueled suspicions that the two might have contributed to the unfortunate incident.
So far about five regions have called on the two to resign or step aside until investigation into Adam Mahama’s death ends.
The Northern Regional Chairman of the party, Bugri Naabu insisted that it will be in the interest of the party for the two to resign.
“Here is a case Paul Afoko’s brother was arrested for alleged involvement in Adam Mahama’s death and looking at the North if you don’t handle the case peacefully it can create a different dimension …”
“We want to preach peace and unity and that everyone should stay calm for the interest of the party so if the four regions have said that they should step aside I think that it is better. It is not impeachment that they should step aside,” he stated.
Citing the structures within the civil service as an example to support his claim, Bugri Naabu argued that Afoko and Agyepong will not have an opportunity to interfere in investigations if they step aside.
“Normally in the civil service, when things like these happen, you are asked to go home until the investigations carry on because you cannot be in office and then investigations is ongoing. There will be interference and maneuvering so I think that is why the four regions are pushing for them to step aside.”
He was however quick to add that the request for the two step aside does not necessarily mean that they have been impeached.
Broader Consultations
Meanwhile the Ashanti Region branch of the party has called for broader consultations before taking a decision on the two.
The Ashanti Regional Secretary of the party, Sam Payne said though executives in the region earlier met to decide on the future of the two, they were asked to return to the constituencies for broader discussions to be held before any major decision will be taken.
“Some proposed that a vote be taken on the fate of Afoko and Agyepong but we as the regional body decided that let’s go back to the constituencies, let’s do broader consultations and we’ve given them three days so that people wouldn’t be rushing into these things that will be sentimental but rather, look at it from the constitutional point,” said Samuel Payne, the Ashanti Regional Secretary of the party.
He stated that their meeting had about 10 or 12 MPs as well as some regional and constituency executives in attendance.
Mr. Payne observed that though the meeting was “cordial, sentiments were so high” since the pain of Adam Mahama’s death was still “high.”
“…you will see people expressing their emotions about the going-ons in the party and how they disagree,”he stated.
According to him, the Ashanti regional branch will make their views known to the national party after the three-day consultation period.
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By: Marian Efe Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @EfeAnsah