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Opinions of Thursday, 20 March 2014

Columnist: Adam, Ibrahim

The decision to clear Afoko: is there any inherent interest?

The Vetting Committee of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) on Wednesday March 12th 2012 did announce that Mr. Paul Afoko has been cleared of an impending allegation made against him via a petition sent to the party by a UK based party member. As a result he was free to contest the upcoming National Executive elections as Chairperson.



According to media reports, the Committee chaired by Mr. C. K. Tedam investigated allegations contained in the petition and came to the conclusion that, the allegations were frivolous and without merit, hence the need to clear him to go and contest for the position he has been aspiring for.

The decision brought about some ecstasy within the camp of Mr. Paul Afoko

Soon after this announcement, it is emerging from reliable quarters within the party hierarchy that the decision was taken without recourse to the much anticipated INTERPOL report.

This information, was buttressed by two leading members of the Vetting Committee, member- Ayikoi Otoo and Committee secretary- Martin Mensah on Joy and Neat FM respectively and published on various online media

If this information is by any measure credible, then one can safely say that, the Committee has done a great deal of injustice to the broader party by not taken a decision based on a known fact and that further investigations must be conducted by the National Executive Committee (NEC) to ascertain the truth or otherwise.

Is it also the case that Mr. Afoko used his northern and tribal connection with the vetting Committee Chairman, Mr. Tedam, to influence the entire committee to get him cleared? Or it is the case that the Committee only bowed to pressure from some “rented” youth in the party, who beseeched the party office to visit mayhem on the party?.

How come Paul Afoko was loudly heard on Adom FM and other media houses telling the whole world that He has been cleared based on an Interpol report? So where is the report? How can we take such a character serious and expects us to entrust the position of national chairmanship in his hands.

Come to think of it, what are the issues Afoko is engulfed in? The fact that he has been in jail and the fact that he has been an inmate of psychiatric rehabilitation.



So if Afoko claims to have been cleared of not having been a Prisoner before, then let him tell us whether or not he has ever been a candidate of a mental rehabilitation center, and where is the report on his mental status?

Let Paul Afoko remember that, the national Chairman is a public position and as such everything about him must be of public knowledge.



Let the national Chairman aspirant, answer these questions, with some alacrity in order to clear minds of our teeming supporters and restore the dignity of the party.



The vetting committee on the other hand, should also deal with the confusion they’ve created in the minds of party faithfuls concerning the mode of clearance.