NPP: No constituency coups

Accra, April 3, GNA - The Greater Regional Secretariat of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) on Tuesday cautioned its Members of Parliament against "Constituency coups d'tats".

"Some MPs have developed the penchant for clandestinely organising semblance of constituency conferences to pass a vote of no confidence in the administration of the legally elected constituency executives and impose their confidants as newly elected executives," Mr Sammy Crabbe, NPP Greater Accra Regional Chairman, told the Ghana News Agency in Accra.

"This is unacceptable" he said, and warned MPs against such actions.

Mr Crabbe said the recent election of new officers for Ablekuma South, Tema East and Okaikoi South constituencies had been declared null and void as they were held in "flagrant disregard" for the party's constitution.

Mr Crabbe was speaking to the GNA after going through a hectic time to bail six constituency executives of Ablekuma South who had been arrested for allegedly damaging party property.

The six who were detained for over five hours on Monday evening at the Korle Bu Police Station were Mr William Kofi Akakpo, 38, Mr William Amaah, 54, Mr Edward Attoh, 46, Nana K. Yeboah, 63, Mr Charles Attram Attoh, 42, and Alhaji Abu Siedu, 68.

Mr Crabbe said it was only the Regional Secretariat, which had the constitutional right to conduct elections at the constituency level. "For the three constituencies to have elected new officers without the knowledge and approval of the Secretariat amounted to a violation of the party's constitution".

Mr Crabbe made it clear that the old executives were still recognised as the "legitimate officers and would remain as such and be in control of affairs of the party until proper elections are held". He warned that the Secretariat would not condone acts that would subvert the NPP constitution.

Mr Crabbe advised NPP MPs not to allow personality and intra-party feuding, bickering and back-biting to tear the party apart. "You should also eschew politics of bitterness, vindictiveness and acrimony to enable you to peacefully co-exist with your political opponents to safeguard the peace and stability of our great party."

Mr Crabbe asked members of the party to accept the challenge of ensuring that all structures of the Party functioned properly 93if the desire of the party to increase the number of its parliamentary seats in the region is not to become an illusion".

The fulfillment of this desire, he said, demanded a lot of sacrifice, hard work and dedication and not infighting. Mr Alexander Quartey, Deputy Regional Secretary, also called on members of the party, parliamentarians and executives at feuding constituencies to exercise restraint and seek redress through the appropriate party structure and move from entrenched positions. He urged members to work as a team in the larger interest of the party as the party prepared for 93the crucial Presidential Conference to elect our flagbearer and parliamentary primaries towards Elections 2008."

Mr Quartey asked supporters to remain firm and to help win more members for the party.