The decision of the National Council (NC) of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) to extend the mandate of its national executives, until all constituency and regional elections are over, has sparked a heated debate in the party. Some members of party, who belong to the 'Patriot Club,' have kicked against the decision, since, according to them, it would not only amount to an imposition, but was also an illegality.

They have accordingly asked the incumbent national executives of the party to do what is honourable when their tenure of office ends at the end of this month.

The spokesman for the group, Robert Ayim, told The Chronicle: "Their extension of office is wrong. They have a sinister agenda to achieve. Their incompetent and ineptitude led the party into opposition."

In an interview with the paper, he noted that they had lost absolute confidence in the leadership of the party, as a result of their inability to recapture power, taking into account the massive successes chalked by former President Kufuor.

"They have consistently shown that they have a sinister agenda to achieve, and they want to impose it on us. We shall not, and we would not agree with them. They should not think that they are the only people who have the wisdom to handle the party," he emphasised.

Whilst accusing the incumbent executives for the NPP's defeat in the 2008 general elections, Mr. Ayim noted: "They should do the best thing by stepping aside, so that we can have interim executives to manage the affairs of the party."

Mr. Ayim, who was flanked by a number of party gurus planning to stage demonstration against the wholesale imposition, further noted: "they have bullied all of us, and cowed everybody into silence."

He continued: "Their ways and means are undemocratic. We want to see the NPP back to power, and we shall not allow people with their selfish and ulterior motives to continue to dictate the pace for us, when they have caused the party's defeat.

Seriously speaking, the current crop of leadership has lost focus and direction of the party."

According to the group, it was the actions and inactions of these NPP executives that led some aggrieved members of the party to drag the party to court, instead of channeling their grievances through the right authorities of the party, as required by the party's constitution.

"This would tell any loving member of the party that the people do not have any trust in the leadership. We have a constitution in the party which addresses grievances, but because people do not have any confidence and trust, they have decided to seek justice at the law courts, which is not the best for our great party."

The group also accused some of the party gurus of hijacking the party, stating: "Some have openly declared and told us that this is their kingdom, and that they have the responsibility to do whatever pleases them. This is undemocratic. It can be equated to nothing but totalitarianism."

They therefore described the extension as illegal and unconstitutional.

The group therefore demanded that "the executives honourably step down," stressing: "Their continuous stay would mean that the party heads for another defeat in 2012, since they would maneuver to have square pegs in round holes for them to manipulate."