Kufuor Must Intervene To Save NPP - Sam Okudzeto

An elder of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Sam Okudzeto, says an urgent intervention by former president John Agyekum Kufuor has become necessary to pull the NPP from the brink.

'He must step in to get the parties together, get the factions together and calm them down,' Mr. Okudzeto said.

The opposition party has been in turmoil since the death of the Upper East Regional Chairman, Adams Mahama.

Mr. Mahama was doused with acid by some unknown assailants Wednesday night.

He died Thursday morning and was buried Saturday afternoon in accordance with his Islamic tradition.

Adams Mahama's death has provoked anger in the party with large numbers demanding that the National Chairman and General Secretary step aside.

Messrs Paul Afoko and Kwabena Agyepong have been roundly condemned and accused of undermining the party's chances of winning next year's elections.

A brother of the Chairman, Gregory Afoko is standing trial for his alleged involvement in the acid attack on the late chairman.

Whilst the two leaders have not been directly linked to the incident, the regional caucuses of the party believe when they came into office, Mr. Afoko and Kwabena Agyepong have consistently created disharmony and division in the party.

The two are said to be engineering the defeat of NPP flagbearer, Nana Akufo-Addo, in the 2016 presidential poll to pave way for them to present their preferred candidate in the 2020 elections.

Seven regional caucuses have unanimously appealed to the National Council, the National Executive Committee and the National Council of Elders to prevail on the two national leaders to step aside.

They say this is in the interest of the party.
Paul Afoko hasn’t spoken but Kwabena Agyepong Tuesday said he will never step aside, accusing the regional caucuses of acting lawlessly.

Mr Okudzeto said the beleaguered General Secretary ought to have tamed his anger and refrained from making those comments.

He said there is need for peace and sobriety to prevail.

“I think there is too much excitement going on and people are losing their heads; what we need now is calm and cool heads so that things can be sorted out; storms do come but when a storm comes, the important thing for us to appreciate is that we need to calm the waters otherwise people can get drowned very easily; in fact many can get drowned in the process and the party can destroy itself,” he observed.

The legal luminary said he would have preferred a dialogue to get the two leaders to step down instead of the public petitions that have been issued.

One problem plaguing the opposition party now, he argued, is that “everybody seems to be so clever and so smart and everybody is talking and to me it is a destructive force that is at work and I think it is time for coolheadedness.”

Source: Myjoyonline.com