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The acting National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Freddie Blay, has stated that he is enjoying the limelight as chair of the biggest opposition party.

“I am sitting here as acting chairman of the party; that question will not be fair to me because, of course, I am enjoying the limelight sitting before you (media) so what do I do if you ask me under which circumstances would I prefer him (Afoko) back,” the lawyer reacted at a press conference when journalists asked him about claims by Mr Paul Afoko that he was still the chairman of the party and would be back in his seat.

Mr Afoko was suspended last month by the national executive committee (NEC) of the NPP for what the party explained was disrespect to the party’s disciplinary committee as well as he working against the party’s interest.
 
He petitioned the national council of the party, but the council subsequently affirmed the decision to suspend him.

Mr Afoko, at a press conference last Wednesday, said the procedure used to suspend him was completely against the set out rules in the party’s constitution.

He added that the petition based on which he was suspended was “baseless” and should have been thrown out.

Flanked by the second vice-chairman of the party, Sammy Crabbe, who has also described Afoko’s suspension as illegal, Afoko said he was elected by over 5,000 delegates of the party and swore an oath to protect the party’s constitution and was ready to fight his suspension.

Meanwhile, the attention of the NPP has been drawn to issues raised by Mr Afoko at the press conference last Wednesday.

In a statement signed by Nana Akomea, the Communications Director, he noted that the issues Mr Afoko raised were issues before the courts of Ghana, brought before the courts by Messrs Tweneboa Kodua and two others, represented by the same lawyers representing Mr Afoko.

“Indeed, Mr Afoko made reference to these court matters when he issued a message on Monday, 2nd November, 2015, to members of the NPP National Council urging them to stay away from a national council meeting on the basis of this court action,” the statement added.

The party, according to the statement, is therefore surprised that Mr Afoko will canvass at his press conference, those same issues before the courts.

“The party urges all officials and communicators to desist from speaking on these matters on the airwaves, as they are now matters before the court,” the statement concluded.