Mpiani Trial Sparks Confusion in NPP

REPORTS REACHING the Chronicle indicate that the Ashanti region branch of the main opposition party, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) is in turmoil, following the vitriolic attacks launched by the regional Youth Organizer of the party, Kennedy Kankam, against the 2008 presidential candidate, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

According to the report, Kennedy Kankam's decision to make unsubstantiated allegations against Nana Akufo-Addo has caused confusion among the rank and file of the regional executives, who are reportedly divided on Alan Kyerematen-Nana Addo lines.

The perceived loyalists of Akufo-Addo were upset over the remarks of Kankam, who has accused the former of being the brain behind the legal actions against the four former Ministers of State under the regime of Mr.Kufuor.

Plots and counter plots have reached their peak among the regional executives, causing the Regional chairman, Mr. F. F.Antoh to move into action to curb what he described as 'indiscipline' within the party.

According to him, in as much as the party cherishes democracy, it would be out of place for anybody to go out there to make derogatory remarks which could bring the party's image into disrepute.

Mr. F. F. Antoh told this paper that he has given a four day ultimatum to the regional disciplinary committee of the party to conduct investigations into the remarks of Mr. Kankam, and to submit the report for action to be taken.“I hope by Thursday, they would complete the investigation and submit the report to the leadership of the party on Friday, for an action to be taken. We don't want to encourage indiscipline in our party. This party must move forward, we don't want to encourage factionalism,” he averred.

Over the weekend, Mr. Kankam, the Ashanti Regional Youth Organizer of the party minced no words when he pointed accusing fingers at the party's former flag bearer that he masterminded the ongoing trial of leading figures in the previous NPP administration.

In his so-called ongoing agenda to set the record straight and unearth what he claims are dirty schemes by certain leading members of the party, Kennedy Kankam went berserk on a local radio station last week Saturday, accusing Nana Addo of practicing tribalism and divide and rule tactics in his bid to win the flag bearers position of the party.

According to him, information he has gathered from a credible source, coupled with circumstances surrounding the trial, indicates that certain prominent NPP members were behind the scheme to discredit the four leading figures in the NPP, in order to pave way for them to lead the party.

Kankam claimed that the real culprits of the alleged criminal acts involving the liquidation of the Ghana Airwave and subsequent conversion into Ghana International Airlines (GIA), for which reason the four personalities are standing trial, have been left off the hook.

According to him, he finds it extremely awkward to comprehend why former Ministers like Osafo Maafo and Mrs. Gloria Akuffo, both Ministers of Finance and Aviation, have not been summoned to answer questions on their role in the management of the national airline.

The NPP Regional Organizer alleged that some officials in the previous administration were leaking information to the current government, for which reason the four personalities, including former Chief of Staff, Mr. Kwadwo Mpianim, former Minister of Road and Transport, Dr. Richard Anane, the ex-Finance Minister, Dr. Anthony Akoto Osei, the former Greater Accra Regional chairman of the party, Mr. Sammy Crabbe and Prof. Gyan Baffour have all become circumstantial victims.

He noted that certain people within the party were practicing “communist inferior tactics” by trying to denigrate and weaken their opponents in order to enhance their chances of leading the party.

“We do not seek power this way, if you are seeking to lead a party, you do not cause the downfall of its leading members,” he charged.