Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie alias IGP, the Akuapem North constituency Youth Organizer of the ruling New Patriotic Party, NPP, has been suspended by the party for making unfounded allegations against President Akufo-Addo and the party’s National Chairman during the election of polling station executives and electoral area coordinators.
According to a letter signed by the NPP’s Eastern Regional Secretary, Jeff Konadu, the decision to suspend the youth organizer was prompted by a petition dated March 23, 2022, from Mr. Carlos Jeffrey Abingale, a member of the party and a polling station youth organizer at Demonstration 1 polling station in Akuapem North Constituency, invoking the regional steering committee’s jurisdiction over the conduct of the constituency youth organizer, which contravenes Article 3 clause 5A the party’s constitution.
The petitioner also included video evidence from television news broadcasts to buttress the false accusations made by the youth organizer that President Akufo-Addo and NPP National Chairman Freddy Blay are attempting to ruin the party by wrecking it.
It was also stated that the constituency youth organizer threatened to blackmail the government on Facebook live with the E-Levy bill, threatened to bring the party to its knees in 2024 by projecting their own candidate, and threatened the member of Parliament for the constituency, Nana Ama Dokua, with not showing up in Parliament to support the E-Levy bill, among other things.
According to the suspension letter, the regional steering committee established a prima facie of gross misconduct against the Constituency youth organizer, therefore suspended him and referred the case to the Regional disciplinary committee for disciplinary inquiry.
The petitioner added television news video evidence to support the unfounded allegations made by the youth organizer that, President Akufo-Addo and the National Chairman Freddy Blay are destroying the NPP.
The suspended constituency youth organizer in response on Facebook said
“Thanks to the good people of NPP. The suspension was well received and acknowledged. My love for the elephant fraternity is unshaken. The position is not a possession. We continue to serve the NPP in every capacity I find myself.”
He later posted a photo of himself and Nana Boakye, the national youth organizer of the NPP with the caption, “Regards to my boss. If a constituency youth organizer can be suspended without hearing his side of the story. Over to us all. As for injustice and intimidation, my soul won’t even allow me to shut up. I shall be back. I want to find peace for my daddy first. For my love for NPP 24/7.”
Some aggrieved members of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) in Akuapem North constituency in Eastern Region boycotted the polling station executives and electoral area coordinators’ election over National Security interference and widespread manipulation.
Addressing the media, the disgruntled members mostly supporters of the incumbent Member of Parliament, Nana Ama Asiamah Dokua, alleged that the election was fraught with widespread irregularities and machinations violating the spirit of a free and fair election.
The constituency youth organizer, Owusu Afriyie who led the aggrieved members of the party alleged that some members of the party who are not qualified to contest the election by virtue of the fact that they breached the party’s constitution by campaigning for an independent candidate in the previous election were strangely in the contest.
He further said that despite protests, some candidates with forged nomination forms who were never vetted were permitted to run in the election.
The constituency youth organizer equally stated that members of the party regarded to be close associates of the incumbent MP Nana Asiamah Dokua had been intimidated by the deployment of National Security operatives and army personnel to the constituency.
He blames President Akufo-Addo and the NPP’s national chairman, Freddy Blay, of sabotaging the party. The disappointed members went to the Koforidua High Court on Friday, requesting an injunction against the election.
Sammy Awuku, the Chief Executive Officer of the National Lottery Authority (NLA) and a national organizer for the governing NPP, is said to be planning to run for parliament in the Akuapem North Constituency, causing a rift with the MP’s supporters.