Jake, Sir John must resign – Asabee

A member of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) Stephen Asamoah Boateng is calling for the resignation of party chairman Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey and General Secretary, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie.

He said both men seeking to retain their positions cannot be trusted to organize a free and fair delegates congress next year.

Asabee, as he is affectionately called, was commenting on the NPP’s decision to hold its national executive elections on March 1, 2014.

After a crunch meeting at the party’s headquarters, the National Executive Committee (NEC) rejected the top-bottom approach of electing executives proposed by its Steering Committee which created a lot of tension in its rank and file.

Most of the party members including Asabee who strongly opposed the top-bottom approach have welcomed the decision.

The former Information Minister on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen programme Thursday maintains that all the reforms by NEC will have no effect if the party chairman and General Secretary remain at post.

According to him, Jake and Owusu Afriyie, also known as Sir John, in their quest to retain their positions might use their incumbency to influence and intimidate others vying for the same slot.

The former MP for Mfantseman West suggested that to create a level playing field, they [Jake, Sir John] should step aside and allow a neutral body to lead the process of electing new executives and a presidential candidate for the party.

On the proposed date for the delegates’ congress, Asamoah Boateng said the March 1 is rather too early.

He said the party needs to do more introspection into the circumstances which led to its defeat and restructure especially at the grassroots before electing new executives.

Asabee indicated that the NPP cannot fight today’s battle with yesterday’s strategy hence must abreast itself with modern political strategies.