By Elsie Appiah-Osei
Accra, Sept 04, GNA- Mr Patrick Yaw Boamah, a New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament (MP) for the Okaikwei Central, says, the Party will strictly enforce its rules against any fronts that will cause alienation within the Party.
Coming after the NPP’s Super Delegates’ Conference held on Saturday, August 26, 2023, some members of the Party, including Mr Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, a flagbearer aspirant were mentioned for various offences.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Parliament House on Monday, Mr Boamah, also a member of the Disciplinary Committee (DC) of the NPP, urged members to obey the Party’s rules.
He said: “The NPP is a very large party and a big family, and we want to ensure that members adhere to the tenets of our constitution. No individual is bigger than the party. Many people are popular because of the party, and they know that they cannot win a general election without the party. You have to ride at the back of the party.
“So, I call on every member at every level of the party to ensure that we maintain the highest level of discipline within the party. Breaking ranks and using abusive language are things that will cause disaffection and disunity, which will hinder our progress towards winning the next general election.
“We must all make sure that we avoid doing this. So, if anyone in the party wants to cause disaffection, the party will enforce its strict rules to ensure that everyone stays on track,” he said.
Mr Boamah told the GNA that as much as the DC and the Party were ensuring discipline, it did not mean they would not be fair to anyone.
The NPP under Article 10 (7) (5) of the Party’s Constitution, summoned Mr Agyapong and others before the Party’s DC after the Super Delegates Conference.
A statement signed by Mr Justin Kodua Frimpong, the General Secretary, NPP and copied to the GNA in Accra on Sunday August 27, 2023, said, the summons would allow Mr Agyapong to provide responses and further details to an alleged accusations and threats he made against some personalities in a video that had since gone viral on social media and mainstream media.
On Saturday, August 26 during the Party’s nationwide Super Delegates Conference to elect five flagbearer aspirants ahead of its Saturday, November 4 primaries, Mr Agyapong, also the Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin Central, threatened to unleash a political showdown following the alleged abrupt removal of his agent from a polling centre in Cape Coast.
It also cited Mr Rapheal Patrick Safo, Mr Charles Dokyi Yaw-Addo, Mr Musa Sulemana and Mr Hopeson Yaovi Adorye to be referred to the Party’s DC for potential violations of the provisions outlined in Article 3 (5) (A) of the Party’s Constitution and a potential misconduct under Article 4 (7).
“While the majority of the voting centres experienced a smooth process, we acknowledge that isolated incidents occurred at certain locations. The leadership of the Party unequivocally condemns such incidents and emphasised our unwavering commitment to the integrity and fairness of the election process.
“We are confident that this discipline process will be conducted with fairness, transparency and impartiality,” it said.
Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia won the NPP Super Delegates Conference with a total of 629 votes, representing 68.15 per cent of the vote.
Mr Agyapong came in second with 132 votes which represented 14.30 per cent with Mr Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, a former Minister for Trade placing third with 95 votes representing 10.29 per cent.
Per the results, Mr Agyapong had qualified for the NPP’s presidential primaries in November, along with Dr Bawumia.
GNA