NPP Dragged To Court

As the rumpus in the Agona West Constituency branch of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) over what has become known as the arbitrary and unconstitutional suspension of the former Executive rages on, an activist of the party has finally dragged the NPP to court.

The writ, which was filed last Friday at the Agona Swedru High Court, is in the name of Mr Samuel Kobina Idun, former Agona West Constituency Financial Secretary. The writ is seeking to haul the National Chairman of the party, Mr Harona Esseku and his National Executive as well as the Central Regional Chairman of the party, Dr Kweku Nunoo Ghartey before the court to answer charges of arbitrary and unconstitutional suspension of the executive. The NPP has been given an ultimatum of eight days to respond to the writ which has already been served on the party. Mr Idun is praying the court to compel the NPP executives, including Dr Ghartey, to rescind what the suspended executive term as autocratic decision of suspension and to reinstate them unconditionally.

In his statement of claim, Mr Idun, an educationist contended that he had been the Financial Secretary of the Agona West branch of the NPP with other nine executive members but on September 13th, 2004, Dr Ghartey wrote and signed a letter to cause their suspension from office based on a letter the executive wrote to lambaste the Member of Parliament for the Constituency, Mr Samuel Obodai. The writ said the said letter which became a bone of contention and created an unstable situation in the party finally served as the basis for the autocratic decision by Dr. Ghartey but he added that prior to the decision to suspend them that letter, dated 23rd August, 2004 had been withdrawn.

According to the writ, the suspension of the executive has not legal basis as the move was in clear contravention of the NPP's constitution and breached their fundamental right to being heard on a matter in which they had been accused.

Mr Idun said the action was done on behalf of the National Headquarters and that it was proper to rather drag it to court other than to drag the agents of the office to court, explaining that the executive by a letter dated January 18th, 2005 petitioned the National Headquarters over the matter but to no avail.