The National Council of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) the second highest decision making body of the party after congress, has maintained the decision by the National Executive Council (NEC) to suspend its National Chairman, Paul Afoko.
[contextly_sidebar id=”lhKSo6vmO0T8zz1TwwS9tRtzWQIXCadr”]The decision was taken after a marathon meeting on Thursday November 12, to study a forty-page appeal document forwarded to the party by Mr. Afoko.
The decision was announced to journalists by the party’s General Secretary, Mr. Kwabena Agyepong, a perceived Afoko supporter, after the matter was put to a vote.
Speaking at the meeting, Agyepong said : “The decision to suspend Afoko has been affirmed by the National Council. By so doing the first Vice Chairman, Mr. Freddie Blay will act so he remains the acting Chairman of the New Patriotic Party. He is acting as the National Chairman. The first Vice is acting as the National Chairman in view of the affirmation of the National Council.”
Once a decision has been taken by the party, that’s the party’s decision. The party has taken a decision to affirm an earlier decision of the National Executive Committee of the party.
Out of 77 people, 70 voted for the suspension to be upheld, six abstained from voting, while one voted for him to be reinstated.
The crucial meeting at the party’s headquarters was attended by key members of the party including ex-president John Kufuor.
Afoko was suspended fortnight ago after the NEC upheld a decision by the party’s Disciplinary Committee until after the 2016 General elections.
The committee took the decision after Afoko failed to appear before the committee to answer allegations of misconduct leveled against him by some members of the party.
The outcome of Thursday’s meeting is expected to calm down tensions in the party.
It also likely to render useless a pending case in which three members of the party are asking the court to nullify the suspension.
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By: Ebenezer Afanyi Dadzie/citifmonline.com/Ghana