Face off in NPP: Afoko, Blay in blows

The top hierarchy of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) has been engulfed in yet another episode of frantic power-play and confusion, as First Vice Chairman of the party, Freddy Blay, is being accused of plotting to unseat the party’s National Chairman amidst calculated scheming and back-stabbings.

Freddy Blay, a strong associate of the NPP’s Flagbearer, Nana Akufo-Addo, is reported by sources to have been peeved by how Mr. Afoko embarrassingly walked him out of a recent meeting between the top hierarchy of the main opposition party and a German political party (Name withheld) who is alleged to be aiding the party to win the 2016 Presidential elections.

Apparently, the face-off between Freddy Blay and Mr. Afoko started when the National Chairman argued against the Akufo-Addo-led clique of the party attempting to woe Gen. (Rtd.) Muhammadu Buhari-Nigeria’s newly elected President to support the NPP’s bid in ousting the administration of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2016 general elections.

Freddy Blay-led Akufo-Addo power bloc in the NPP is said to have approached Buhari to hunt Ministers and government officials in Goodluck Jonathan’s administration known to have had close relations with the current John Mahama-led NDC administration.

The plan was to use Gen. Buhari’s witch-hunt to whip up sentiments against the NDC administration, however, Paul Afoko is said to have strongly opposed the plan, saying it was not going to boost the NPP’s electoral fortunes. The disagreement is said to have drawn bad blood between Paul Afoko and Freddy Blay to the point where the former reportedly walked the latter out of the confidential meeting being held between NPP top guns and the German political party.

Information available to the Republic newspaper indicates that in reaction to the embarrassment, Freddy Blay- goaded by party flagbearer Nana Akufo-Addo- on Monday convened an “illegal” Steering Committee meeting to discuss very important matters relating the party on the blindside of the National Chairman who is currently in London for a visit and the General Secretary, Kwabena Agyapong, who is also in Kumasi.

Freddy Blay, who is said to be at the forefront of a possible move to pass a vote-of-no-confidence on the NPP’s National Chairman and the General Secretary, is said to have unconventionally summoned the party’s hierarchy to the ‘illegal’ meeting through a simple text message.

He reportedly sent the text message to party General Secretary, Kwabena Agyapong, and saying: “It has been literally impossible reaching you. However, upon consultation with a good number of the members of our steering committee (NPP), I am convinced that there is a need for an emergency meeting of the committee to consider and or discuss some very pressing matters affecting the party. In the circumstance and in the absence of the chairman, Mr. Paul Affoko, and further that by virtue of article 9D.iii, I’m asking you to give notice in the usual manner and or by SMS text to the members to attend an emergency meeting in the party’s headquarter's conference room at 10 o’clock am prompt, Monday the 4th of may 2015. I wish to depend on your corporation.”

It is unclear the response of the General Secretary after receiving such an unconventional text message, however, the meeting is said to have taken place anyway, in the absence of these two key executives.

Agenda for discussion without the express approval of the party’s National Chairman includes: the consideration of the party’s National Electoral Commission Committee’s report; Implementation process of roadmap of NPP parliamentary primaries; the composition of delegations to represent NPP on local and international assignments; new mode of Impending NPP international conference in Italy and criteria for waiver for filing and development fees.

The convening of the said meeting on Monday, was a blatant disregard for constitutional provisions of the main opposition party, where its Article 9 clearly states that National Chairman shall be the convener and preside over the party’s top level meetings, including Steering Committee meetings, National Delegates Congress, National Council and National Executive Committee meetings.

The Republic newspaper gathered that given the absence of the party’s National Chairman, some party stalwarts in the Ashanti Region earlier in the day requested that the meeting be suspended till Afoko arrives in the country (On Monday night) from the UK before setting off the meeting, but their requests were brushed aside by Freddie Blay, who is said to be currently the main tool being used by Akufo-Addo to usurp power from the NPP’s hierarchy.

Even though they did not form a quorum as required for such an important Steering Committee meeting, six persons led by Akufo-Addo are said to have ignored that requirement for quorum and went ahead with discussions on these important party issues on Monday.

Akufo-Addo, who has not hidden his mistrust of the leadership of Paul Afoko and Kwabena Agyapong, is said to be systematically scheming to swing the balance of power in the NPP to himself using his close associates such as Freddie Blay and others.

It is already an open secret within the ranks of the NPP that Akufo-Addo harbours an inherent mistrust for Paul Afoko and Kwabena Agyapong who he believes are actively working to undermine his presidential bid in 2016.

Akufo-Addo’s mistrust is said to have inspired him to set up his personal campaign office run by his family members and friends such as his nephew, Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, and also to set spies on the trail of these two men and others believed to belong to the Ashanti power bloc in the party manned by ex-President John Agyakum Kufuor and Akufo-Addo’s arch-rival, Alan Kwadwo Kyeremanteng, hence the brewing acrimony between Freddie Blay and Mr. Afoko.

The Kufuor/ Alan Kyeremanteng group is said to have dubbed Akufo-Addo as a ‘risk factor’. According to Africawatch, the Ashanti power bloc in the NPP is convinced that if Akufo-Addo wins the Presidential elections, they would be rendered useless.

According to reports, Paul Afoko and Kwabena Agyepong may have been systematically planted in those key positions by the Kufuor/Kyeremanteng clique to ensure that Akufo-Addo’s plans to win the Presidential elections are sabotaged at the highest level of the NPP’s hierarchy.