NPP Emergency meeting: Council of Elders orders ceasefire

The Council of Elders of the New Patriotic Party has ordered a ceasefire between factions within the National Executive and Steering Committees of the party.

At an emergency meeting held Thursday the factions were also charged to work together for the betterment of the party and desist from any further media war.

The past few days have seen the NPP in troubled waters with members of the Executive Committee being at each other's throat.

 It started with a directive by the General Secretary Kwabena Agyapong to the acting Director of Communications Perry Okudzeto to proceed on leave.

That directive was taken with the consent of the National Chairman Paul Afoko but not in consultation with the other members of the Steering Committee of the party, at least according to the First Vice Chairman of the party Mr Freddie Blay.

A press conference called by the Chairman and the General Secretary to explain the reasons for the controversial decisions ended abruptly following the invasion of the party's headquarters by machete-wielding men.

After the violent confrontation, the party's national executive appeared sharply divided, engaging each other in war of words on radio.

While Afoko, Agyapong and, Sammy Crabbe, who is the second Vice Chairman of the party supported the decision to ask Perry to proceed on leave, Freddie Blay, Sammy Awuku, John Boadu and FF Antoh have kicked against the decision.

The party executives appeared firmly divided with each faction perceived to be supporting the main contenders- Nana Akufo-Addo and Alan Kyeremanten- in the upcoming presidential primary.

Afoko and Agyapong are said to be loyalists of Alan Kyerematen while Blay, Awuku, Boadu and FF Antoh are believed to be supporters of Nana Akufo-Addo.

After days of accusations and counter accusations, an emergency meeting was called by the Council of Elders Thursday to resolve the crisis and to mend the cracks within the party.

Joy News' Joseph Gakpo who monitored the meeting reported that former Works and Housing Minister Hackman Owusu Agyeman and former Chief of Staff, Kwadwo Mpiani, were in attendance.

Gakpo reported a member of the Council of Elders and the Chairman of the NPP Legal Committee, Prof. Mike Ocquaye as saying the infighting has ended.

Per the structures of the NPP, the Council of Elders cannot take decisions on behalf of the Steering Committee of the party.

For that reason the Steering Committee was charged to have a second meeting next week to resolve the thorny issue of whether Perry Okudzeto will remain on leave or resume duty.

According to Gapko, the HQ was again besieged by some supporters of the party, who this time did not wield machetes but had a petition asking the party to resolve the internal cracks and to proceed with the intended Super Delegates Congress scheduled for August 31, 2014.