UFP disowns Odike

It appears the internal wrangling over control of the United Front Party (UFP) is not yet over.

This time around, Stephen Forson, the first vice and acting national chairman of the party, has joined the fray, challenging the authenticity of a purported popular acclamation for new regional executives, said to have been engineered by the party’s 2012 presidential candidate, Akwasi Addai, popularly called Odike.

The controversial politician and Dr. Nana Agyenim Boateng, popularly called Gyataba, founder and chairman of the UFP, are currently in a tussle over the ownership of the distressed party.

Odike had recently said, “Gyataba is not the chairman of our party.”

However, in a strongly worded disclaimer dated January 23, 2015, Mr. Forson stated that Odike and all those in his shadow do not have the authority to do business on behalf of the UFP.

“It has come to our notice that there have been some unconstitutional popular acclamations for new regional executives in our party which was engineered by the former flagbearer in the person of Akwasi Addai Odike whose position after the 2012 elections was dissolved.”

According to Mr. Forson, the said unlawful events were conducted by Samuel Bekoe Owusu, the general secretary of the party, Razak Kojo Opoku; suspended deputy general secretary and Kennedy Saku, national youth organizer.

The UFP acting national chairman said, “I hereby plainly state that the four gentlemen have no authority whatsoever to conduct any election per our constitution, let alone to mention popular acclamation.”

While urging the rank and file of the party as well as the general public to remain calm and treat the said popular acclamation with the contempt it deserves, Mr. Forson insisted that the four had contravened the party’s constitution.

He warned, “We also caution that because their actions were in contravention of our Constitution, anyone or group of persons who have or shall have association with their action out of naivety does so at their own risk.”

Mr. Forson urged the rank and file of the party to continue to repose confidence in the current regional and national executives until the National Executive Committee meets to draw a proper programme to elect new executives.