NPP crisis: NDC appears to be shedding more tears than the NPP – Sir John

Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie,  Former NPP General Secretary,  says the governing National Democratic Congress appears to be shedding more tears over the opposition party’s internal bickering than the NPP itself. He said whenever a sympathizer is crying more than the bereaved, it should raise eyebrows. He was speaking on Joy FM's Newsfile, Saturday at the Coconut Grove Hotel in Accra. The panel was discussing the crisis in the opposition party which has seen disciplinary action taken against three national executive committee members. Chairman, Paul Afoko, General Secretary Kwabena Agyepong and 2nd Vice-Chairman have all been suspended from their positions.

Many members of the NDC have pointed to this and said it is testament to poor leadership by the party’s presidential candidate, Nana Akufo-Addo. Communications Minister Dr. Omane Boamah said in previous occasions when there were disagreements in the NPP, then candidate JA Kufuor, skillfully managed them.

The current flagbearer has not demonstrated leadership which is what has brought the NPP to where it is now, he claimed. NDC guru, Nana Ato Dadzie, didn’t understand why elected officials could be suspended in the manner in which the three were suspended. But responding, Mr. Owusu Afriyie, popularly known as Sir John, said, “The NDC appears to be crying louder than the bereaved as far as these issues are concerned.”

He said when a lady who attends a funeral cries more than the widow, “we have to go behind the veil and find out why the interest.” He said the NPP was acting in accordance with the provisions of its constitution and offered people the opportunity to defend themselves before the National Disciplinary Committee. The affected officers have every right to appeal to the National Council if they are dissatisfied with the decision of the National Executive Committee (NEC) to uphold the recommendation of the Disciplinary Committee to suspend them, he stated. “This decision had nothing to do with Akufo-Addo, it had so much to do with individuals who are affected by those decisions,” he emphasised.