The Headquarters of the opposition
New Patriotic Party (NPP) has again become a scene of violence over
disagreement within the party’s rank and file.
Citi News’ Franklin Badu Junior reported Friday morning, that about
20 heavily-built men , who are members of the party’s private security,
the Invincible Forces, stormed the office and burnt a motorbike and also
demolished the windscreen of a taxicab.
According to him, pedestrians and
motorists are unable to use the road although police officers
have arrived to maintain law and order.
“There is total violence and chaos.
Currently, one side of the road leading to the main entrance of the office has
been blocked with a motorbike that has been set on fire. There is also a taxi
that looks new and the front and rear mirror have been destroyed. I saw about
seven heavily built men destroying the taxi. There about twenty of such macho
men in front of the head office warning everybody not to pass there. The police
just arrived with two cars to calm the situation because nobody uses the road
in front of the office at the moment” Franklin reported.
Franklin added “It is still unclear
if the NEC meeting expected to be held today will take place. The information I
have is that those attending the meeting are yet to arrive but there are about
two administrators already in there.”
According to him, it appears the
macho men are not exactly there to prevent the meeting but to protect the area
from being invaded by persons claiming to be loyalists of the party’s Chairman,
Paul Afoko or any other party leader.
The chaos comes ahead of a National
Executive Committee Meeting (NEC) expected to take place today.
Ahead of the meeting however, the
disgruntled Chairman of the party, Paul Afoko, had issued a statement to
all media houses asking the public to ignore it, saying the party’s First
National Vice Chairman, Freddie Blay, is not constitutionally mandated to call
a NEC meeting when he is available.
NEC Meeting to go ahead
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the
party’s Disciplinary Committee, Bishop Emmanuel Asante Antwi, has arrived at
the head office for the meeting.
Members of the Invincible Forces,
say they have information suggesting that some loyalists of Paul Afoko, also
known as the ‘Bolga Bull Dogs’, are on their way to the office to disrupt the
meeting.
A member of the Invincible Forces
told Citi News “we are ready for them so we are waiting for them”.
The meeting according to a party
source, will go ahead despite the violent clashes. Among those who have
arrived at the office for the meeting, are Hackman Owusu Agyemang, and the
party’s Treasurer, Abankwa Yeboah.
The meeting among other things, is
expected to consider a proposal for the suspension of the party Chairman, Paul
Afoko.
The NPP is yet to fully recover from
the internal strife that hit the party in recent months.
–
Source: Citifmonline/Ghana
Comments