Vigilantism fight: Yamin has no locus, he will face NDC 'sanhedrin' - Asiedu Nketia

General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has disassociated the opposition party from Joseph Yamin’s ‘we will not disband the hawk’ comments.

According to Asiedu Nketia, the NDC does not support the comment of Joseph Yamin that the party has decided not to disband vigilante group, the hawk as published by a newspaper.

“We have issued a statement to disassociate the party from the statement made by Joseph Yamin that the NDC has decided not to disband our vigilante groups is not true. NDC has never made any such statement anywhere and NDC has not sent him to speak on our behalf and moreover, he has no locus in the party to speak for us in the party,” he averred.

Not Today, Tomorrow Or Ever

Mr Yamin, a leading member of the opposition party, is reported to have stated earlier this week that the “NDC will not disband Hawks today, tomorrow or ever.”

According to him, contrary to the widely-held public perception that the ‘Hawks’ is a vigilante group, they are infact a breakaway unit from the NDC Taskforce in the Ashanti Region.

He added that the group officially exists in the NDC structure and its members are card-bearing members of the party. He further revealed that even though the group has its leadership, he is a leading member and is not ashamed to admit it publicly insisting he sees nothing wrong with the group, and the role it plays in the party.

“The Hawks is recognized taskforce in the NDC party. They perform the roles like members of the party and providing security for the party," he touted.

His comments comes after President Akufo-Addo called on the leadership of the two major parties (NPP and NDC) to dialogue on disbanding their various vigilante groups.

You Cannot Go Against Party's Decision

Speaking in an interview with Kwame Nkrumah "Tikesie" on Okay FM's "Ade Akye Abia" Morning show, Mr Asiedu Nketiah pointed out that per the party’s structure, Mr Yamin cannot go contrary to the position of the NDC on the issue of vigilantism.

“The party has a constitution and we have structures where at every level someone can speak for the party. We have branch executives and whatever they say at that level on behalf of that party is a true representation of the party structure”.

“When you come to constituency level, we have executives who have the mandate of the party to speak for NDC....which must correlate with the constituency executive ideology”.

“That explains why we have communicators and serial callers who speak for the party at various stages and so as we have freedom of speech, anybody can express their opinions. But if your opinion is explicitly oppose to the decision of the party, then we have to let you know that you have taken a position which is oppose to the party’s position,” he explained.

No Locus...Will Face Disciplinary Committee

The NDC Chief Scribe reiterated that the party will not hesitate to drag any member who goes against the party's position before its disciplinary committee.

“We will haul you before the disciplinary committee if your comments denigrate the party with your comments...as we speak now, Joseph Yamin has no locus to speak for the party and say something which is contrary to the standpoint of the party”.

“We are not accusing Yamin of any wrongdoing yet and that is why we are calling him to come and explain to us because it can even be possible the newspaper which published it, twisted his remarks”, he added.