Clique in NPP strangling my chairmanship bid – Afoko

National chairman aspirant of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Paul Afoko, is alleging there’s a clique within the party’s national leadership that is determined to run him down ahead of the delegates’ conference.

His accusation follows the alleged leakage of a private letter he wrote to the party’s leadership about some concerns he has with procedures for voting and counting of ballots at the delegates’ conference.

Without mentioning names in a letter forwarded to the party’s election committee, Mr. Afoko said article 9 of the party’s constitution bars certain individuals from voting at the conference.

According to the April 7, 2014 letter, “Section 2(i) of this article gives us the membership of the National Executive Committee. However, Section C (2ii) states that ‘Chairpersons of sector committees, past national chairpersons, past Presidential candidates, past running mates, past general secretaries, directors at the national secretariat and such other members as the national executive committee may determine shall be entitled to attend meetings of the national executive committee but without the right to vote.”

Aides to former Flagbearer Nana Akufo-Addo, have accused Mr Afoko of indirectly targeting the former Attorney General and his former running mate Dr Mahamudu Bawumia with his letter.

In an interview with XYZ Breakfast Show Host Moro Awudu on Thursday April 10, 2014, Mr Afoko wondered why the letter was leaked even when the party is yet to officially respond to his concerns. He said he suspects there’s a grand plot to do him in.

However acting director of communications for the NPP, Perry Okudzeto denies claims that the leadership of the party leaked Mr. Afoko’s letter to the media. He also says the concerns Mr. Afoko raised in the letter have already been addressed.