... Screaming Bust Up With PNC Exec
THE PEOPLE'S National Convention (PNC's), Member of Parliament (MP), Hon. John Ndebugre, who has been an advocate for the Representation of the People's Amendment Bill (ROPAB) against his party's official position, last Saturday lost all his artificial teeth after members of the National Standing Committee (NSC) of his party subjected him to three hours of grilling for his unguarded utterances, which members say has brought the party into disrepute.
A member of the Committee, speaking to The Chronicle, disclosed that Hon. Ndebugre, unable to withstand the numerous criticism and questions thrown at him by members screamed on the top of his voice, forgetting that part of his teeth were artificial.
According to our source, had it not been the presence of Dr. Edward Mahama, Hon. Ndebugre could not have continued with the meeting after he temporarily lost all his artificial teeth, which were later fixed for him by the medical doctor.
The NSC meeting, which was held at the party's head office in Accra last Saturday, according to our source, discussed four major issues, which included, revamping party structures and including offices, the relationship between the party and its Members of Parliament (MPs), the Unity talks with the Convention Peoples Party (CPP) and a report by the disciplinary committee on Hon. Ndebugre's utterances.
The source said hell broke loose when the ROPAB-PNC-MP was challenged about his explanation for not attending three successive meetings of the national executives of the party, held at the party's head office in Accra.
In his explanation, the source said Hon. Ndebugre had alleged that he had an injured leg and as a result he could not drive to the party office for those meetings.
However according to our source, members of the committee did not accept his explanation, questioning his ability to travel round the country and throughout the world to sample opinion about ROPAB, but could not attend party meetings.
Hon. Ndebugre, who is 1st Vice chairman and Acting Chairman of the PNC, according to our source was referred to the disciplinary committee, chaired by the Ashanti regional chairman Mr. Thomas Akumyong about three weeks ago The five-member committee had met on 6th and 13th February 2006, to investigate the conduct of the acting chairman, who is also the MP for Zebilla Constituency in the Upper East region.
According our source the Five-member committee after their investigations recommended that the ROPAB-PNC-MP Hon. Ndebugre should face the maximum disciplinary punishment of the party based on Article 67 of its Constitution, which prescribes summary dismissal.
However our source disclosed further that through pleads from party moderates like Dr. Mahama among others, Hon. Ndebugre's punishment was reduced from summary dismissal, to stripping him naked of the 1st vice chairmanship position of the party, including his acting chairmanship.
Accordingly, Alhaji Ramadan the 2nd vice national chairman was appointed as the Acting Chairman of the party with immediate effect.
When reached on the phone, Hon. Ndebugre said that he was not aware of any decision to strip him of his position as 1st National Vice Chairman and Acting Chairman of his party, but confirmed that his artificial teeth were removed during the meeting, which were fixed for him by a medical doctor present at the said meeting.
Hon. Ndebugre maintained that any decision to strip him of his positions would amount to breach of the party constitution, which treated as null and void.