No coup in NPP; I’ve right to call meetings – Blay

The first national vice chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Freddie Blay feels it will be out of mischief to describe his call for an emergency steering committee meeting in the absence of the national chairman and general secretary as “unconstitutional”.

The party’s general secretary Kwabena Agyepong has told the media he was unaware of the emergency steering committee meeting held at the NPP headquarters on Monday at the behest of Blay.

The chairman Paul Afoko is also out of Ghana and expected to return this week. The move, which has been described in certain quarters as “coup d’état”, has sparked tension in the leadership front of the Danquah-Busia-Dombo tradition.

The first national vice chairman has insisted that the general secretary was aware of the said meeting, which was graced by the presidential candidate Nana Akufo-Addo.

“What we did was constitutional,” Blay told Starr News. “I can organise a meeting in accordance with the constitution. I am saying that he [Agyepong] was aware of this meeting.”

He said: “I even spoke to him and asked him to organise this meeting. This is an emergency meeting to reflect on the ongoing primaries and we consider it extremely important.

“There were a few issues that we needed to consider and the steering committee has not had the opportunity to meet over it and the constitution allows a meeting to be organised in his absence. It’s out of mischief to suggest that it’s a coup.”

Nine members out of the 13-member body, whose quorum is seven members, were present;

Mr. Freddie Blay – 1st Vice Chairperson

Mr. F.F Antoh – 3rd Vice Chairperson

Nana Akufo-Addo- Presidential Candidate

Hon Osei-Kyei Mensah-Bonsu- Parliamentary Leader

Mr. C.K Tedam – Chairperson of the Council of Elders

Mr. Abankwaa Yeboah- National Treasurer

Mr. John Boadu- National Organizer

Mr. Sammy Awuku- National Youth Organizer

Mr. Kamal Deen Abdulai- National Nasara Coordinator