Ursula: Internal crises have toughened NPP

The several bouts of internal strife in Ghana’s biggest opposition party have strengthened, rather than broken the New Patriotic Party’s resolve, prominent member Ursula Owusu-Ekuful has told Class News at the Sunyani Coronation Park where the Danquah-Busia-Dombo family is holding its Extraordinary National Delegates’ Conference.

“The crises have made us stronger,” the MP for Ablekuma West told Emefa Apawu in an interview.

“…There are silver linings in every cloud… the party is determined to move on and do what is needed to ensure that we win the elections next year,” she added.

Three national executives of the NPP have so far been suspended indefinitely for breaching various provisions of the party’s constitution.

The party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) handed down the punishment to Chairman Paul Afoko, second Vice-Chair Sammy Crabbe and General Secretary Kwabena Agyepong, for allegedly acting in ways that put the party at a disadvantage.

Issues surrounding Mr Afoko’s leadership and suspension led to the death of two party members: Upper East regional Chairman Adam Mahama and activist Saddiq Abubakar in Asawase, Ashanti region. There were numerous clashes at the party’s Asylum Down headquarters in Accra over several thorny issues that came up as a result of the leadership of Mr Afoko and the two others. Their suspension also sparked similar rumpus.

Mrs Owusu-Ekuful told Class News the suspensions were necessary to purge the party ahead of the 2016 general elections. As far as she is concerned, any further discussions about the suspensions will be distractive.