Arthur K: Bawumia can’t be trusted than Afoko, Agyepong

Why must the main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) and its Flagbearer Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo trust latter-day members Freddie Blay and Mahamudu Bawumia, yet treat long-serving, loyal members Paul Afoko and Kwabena Agyepong as outcasts? That is the quibble of outspoken party member, Dr Arthur Kobina Kennedy.

Speaking on Kasapa FM’s afternoon political talk programme ‘Si mi su’ about the apparent disunity and in-fighting within the NPP, Dr Kennedy described Dr Bawumia – three-time Running Mate to Mr Akufo-Addo – as “a recent NDC convert,” who “didn’t even have a party card when he joined the NPP” in 2008; yet the Flagbearer and his assigns trust him more than Mr Afoko (Chairman) and Mr Agyepong (General Secretary).

The former Director of Communications for the NPP’s 2008 campaign said on Thursday that: “I find it very difficult to see how somebody can trust Blay, who came in from CPP with a long retinue of mistrust, and Bawumia who is a recent NDC convert, and, yet, we cannot trust Afoko and Kwabena Agyepong, who have given all their lives to this party.”

When the host pressed further for clarity about his claim that Dr Bawumia is an NDC-turncoat, the former flagbearer-aspirant said: “When he [Bawumia] joined the party in 2008, he didn’t even have a party card, [yet] we trust him.”

“…I know that for a fact that he was not a card-bearing member of the NPP” at the time, he added.

The US-based medical doctor said though he, personally, welcomes newcomers into the fold of the Danquah-Busia-Dombo tradition, and would urge the NPP to do same; long-serving and loyal party members like Afoko and Agyepong deserve plaudits than persecution.

“I welcome new people such as Bawumia and Blay… but while we welcome new people, we should also celebrate old people who have served the party. I have no hesitation; I will defend Kwabena Agyepong and Afoko till death, not because of who they are, but on [the] principle that when somebody has given all his life to a party, it is wrong to vilify him…” Dr Kennedy said.

The NPP has been dealing with internal turmoil over the soul of the party since Mr Afoko and Mr Agyepong were elected about a year ago.

One faction supports Mr Agyepong and Mr Afoko while the other mistrusts the two. Some party leaders have gone as far as accusing the two politicians of working against Mr Akufo-Addo’s 2016 bid for the presidency.