‘NPP top men compromised' - Akufo-Addo boys claim

In what appears to be another scandal waiting to rock the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), its embattled General Secretary Kwabena Agyei Agyapong has been challenged to explain the source of his newly released US$80,000 Toyota Landcruiser.

According to two groups of young party members calling themselves United For Change - Abroad (UFC-A) and Students Network For Nana Addo (STUNNAD) in a joint petition forwarded to the topmost hierarchy of the biggest opposition party, they have evidence to prove that the vehicle was purchased for the General Secretary by President John Mahama and the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC).

The vehicle with registration number GM 615-14, in which Kwabena Agyapong has been seen driving for a couple of months now, is said to have been bought from an Accra-based automobile dealer, Stelin Automative and Trading Co.

Sterlin is owned jointly by Seth Stephen Fiati and Cecilia Linda whom the petitioners claim are members of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) therefore a possible link to how Kwabena Agyapong got the plush Four-wheel-drive vehicle.

The petition signed by six top executives of both STUNNAD AND UFC-A claim they have evidence to connect Kwabena Agyapong to frolicking with the NDC because he was introduced to the company owners by some key NDC members for him to pick up the car.

The group has refused to name the said person who facilitated Kwabena Agyapong’s acquisition of the car, preferring the National Executive Committee of the party to launch an investigation into the matter.

“ Who really owns the said Stelin Automative Company? (Belong to which political party? On what basis is GS driving the said car? Who introduces Kwabena Agyapong to the owners of the company?” the contentious group asked in the petition which was signed and submitted earlier this week by Chris Arthur, National President of STUNNAD, and one “Mr. Osei” of the UFC-A, among others.

Kwabena Agyapong has, however, denied any underhand dealing in his acquisition of the vehicle. He told Accra-based Okay FM that the accusations were baseless because he had the resources to buy such a car without needing help from political opponents.

Interestingly, Mr. Agyapong’s special aide, Davis Opoku (popularly called OPK) revealed on on Okay FM that Kwabena Agyapong was yet to complete payments for the car, scoffing at the accusations by UFC-A and STUNNARD.

The controversy in the NPP over top executives of the party releasing plush vehicles at a time the party claims it was in an economic downturn, is the second such incident in the past few months.

A couple of months ago, the National Organizer of the party John Boadu was similarly accused. In his case, he was alleged to have pocketed party funds meant for the recently held by-elections in Talensi to buy a brand new Hyundai Santa Fe SUV.

John Boadu is said to have bought the vehicle cash down from auto dealer, Auto Plaza.

The glittering white SUV which has barely shed its enticingly fresh showroom scent is said to have cost a whopping US$43,000.

While, John Boadu is seen as a loyalist of the flagbearer of the NPP, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, Kwabena Agyapong is seen by many party members as a mole who is secretly working to make sure that Akufo Addo loses the 2016 presidential elections to his main rival from the NDC, President John Mahama.

Kwabena Agyapong and the party’s National Chairman Paul Afoko have strongly been criticized by NPP members believed to be loyal to the flagbearer for what is described as their covert manipulations to ensure the defeat of the ageing Akufo Addo for the third time as the party’s flagbearer.

During two of the three presidential primaries that elected Akufo Addo as the NPP’s flagbearer, the two were clearly opposed to his candidature, preferring his main rival Alan Kyeremanteng.

Despite Paul Afoko and Kwabena Agyapong’s insistence that they have long shed that opposition to Akufo Addo and would rather work with him to secure the presidency in 2016, a number of NPP members are still suspicious of their real intents.

Recent developments in the party have seen a strong call for the impeachment of the two. The impeachment calls are still under consideration.

The latest accusation by UFC-A and STUNNARD is a further move to solidify the case for the impeachment of the two, who Akufo Addo loyalists claim, cannot be trusted.