The New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) first Vice Chairperson, Freddy Blay has rubbished claims that chairing an emergency Steering Committee meeting in the absence of the party’s General Secretary and Chairman amounts to usurping their powers.
He also dismissed claims that the situation has given credence to the rumored divisions within the NPP.
Mr. Blay on Monday called an emergency Steering Committee meeting without Paul Afoko and Kwabena Agyapong being present.
The meeting was aimed at discussing the party’s ongoing vetting of parliamentary candidate aspirants and the upcoming primaries scheduled to take place in June.
[contextly_sidebar id=”S32HNt8XoYDkTcZwOibhhSMtVP0Qw3d5″]The meeting was attended by the party’s presidential candidate, Nana Akufo-Addo, the Minority Leader, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu and some other national executives.
While some believe the decision shows an attempt to usurp the powers of Afoko and Agyapong, others believe it will promote disunity.
Speaking on Eyewitness News however, Mr. Blay dismissed such claims, saying “the insinuations that the powers of the General Secretary and the Chairman are being usurped are false”
According to him, “people are talking about differences in the NPP out of mischief,” adding that the party “doesn’t have factions and is just one party.”
Blay insisted that his decision to hold the meeting in their absence was lawful.
“What we did was constitutional. We took steps not outside the constitution… You can organise a meeting in accordance with the constitution, if the steps that we are taking… are legitimate, if they are constitutional, they are good steps.”
The NPP’s first Vice chair disclosed that Afoko and Agyapong were duly informed before the meeting was held but they were absent because Afoko is currently out of the country while Agyapong is in the Ashanti Region after attending the funeral of a relative.
Blay argued that since the two key leaders of the NPP had been informed about the meeting, it does not “make any difference” holding it in their absence.
“Sometimes it is good for all of them to be here but if one or two have travelled and the meeting can take place why not”
Decisions taken by the steering committee
The meeting took the following critical decisions among others;
National Officers and regions assigned
Further to arrangements already in place for the various vetting committee and vetting centres for the Party’s parliamentary primaries, sent out by the General Secretary, the Committee decided that the following National Officers shall be assigned to the various regions to be responsible for the overall conduct of the vetting process and any challenges that may emanate from there.
Mr. John Boadu (National Organizer) – Central Region
Mr. Sammy Awuku (National Youth Organiser) – Eastern Region
Mr. Kamal Deen Abdulai (National Nasara Coordinator) – Upper East Region
Mr. Nuhu Mahama (Deputy National Organizer) – Upper West Region
Ms. Otiki Djaba (National Women’s Organizer) – Northern Region
Mr. Abankwaah Yeboah (National Treasurer) – Greater Accra
Mr. Freedie Blay (National 1st Vice Chairperson) – Western Region
Mr. Daniel Denteh – Volta Region
Mr. F.F Antoh (National 3rd Vice Chairperson) – Ashanti Region
Mr. Obiri Boahene (National Deputy General Secretary) – Brong Ahaf
The Steering Committee further reminded all aspirants in accordance with Article 11 (5) of the party’s constitution that “It shall be the obligation of the Member seeking nomination as the Party’s Parliamentary Candidate to satisfy the Constituency Executive Committee, the Regional Executive Committee and the National Executive Committee that the conditions stipulated in Article 11 (4) have been fulfilled, and any application which does not comply with these conditions shall be rejected.
It further called upon the “vetting committees to ensure that the qualification, eligibility and competence of aspirants, especially in respect of article 94 (1), (2), (3) of the National Constitution, as well as Articles 3 and 11 of the Party’s Constitution are duly observed and satisfied.”
It said “these decisions have been taken by the Steering Committee pursuant to provisions of article 9 (i1), which enables the Steering Committee to act on behalf of the Party on urgent matters.”
–
By: Marian Efe Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @EfeAnsah