Asogli can’t declare Freddie Blay persona non grata – Obiri Boahen

A leading member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Obiri Boahen, says it is unconstitutional for a traditional council to order someone to stay away from an area.

“Legally, it is unconstitutional for a traditional council to tell somebody that he is unwanted in that area.”

He added that the issue about Freddie Blay should be handled carefully.

“Honestly speaking, legally it is unconstitutional. However, I think that this issue that has come out [and] we should all be tactful when we [are] commenting on it,” he said on Friday on Sunrise morning show on 3FM.

In his view, the issue should be handled tactfully in the sense that Freddie Blay, who is the National Chairman of the NPP, and the Asogli Traditional Council should not create room for confusion.

“Tactful in the sense that I am speaking from a legal perspective, but the response should not be seen as trying to fan the emblems of the hostility of confusion between Freddie Blah and the Council.”

According to him, he is going to speak as a lawyer concerning this issue even though both Freddie Blay and the Asogli Traditional Council are his good friends.

“I am going to speak as a lawyer. I’m not speaking from any political perspective because the issue at stake and what I have been called to speak to is more legal. It has nothing to do with politics.”

He stated that someone can be declared as persona non grata because it is fully by records of the law.

He explained that unless there is a pronouncement by the court no one can be annunciated as a persona non grata.

“Legally [and] constitutionally, a traditional council cannot declare somebody as persona non grata, unless it’s a pronouncement by the court if that is possible by the court. Fair enough or unless you resort to the judiciary processes, you cannot declare somebody as persona non grata.”

All these come in the wake of Freddie Blay defying an ultimatum to apologise to the Paramount Chief of the Asogli Traditional Council, Togbe Afede XIV, who is the President of the National House of Chiefs, after reportedly slighting him.