Former Greater Accra Regional Minister, Sheik Ibrahim C. Quaye has downplayed the effect of the suspension of the three national executives of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) on the fortunes of the party stressing that they are nonentities in the party.
Sheik I. C. Quaye noted that the absence of suspended National Chairman, Paul Afoko, General Secretary, Kwabena Agyepong and National Second Vice Chairman, Sammy Crabbe, at the just-ended Delegates’ Conference meant nothing and would have no effect on the party.
Speaking in an interview with the Daily Heritage during the party’s 15th Extraordinary Annual Delegates’ Conference in Sunyani in the Brong Ahafo Region, he said the suspended executives did nothing while in office, hence their absence is not being felt.
“They are nothing. They have been suspended and that is it. Even when they were in the party, what were they doing? This has proved to them that their absence is nothing and does not bring down the party in anyway,” the former Minister added.
He said despite the conference being an “extraordinary” one that did not require the presence of everybody including unit committee members, the support from party loyalists in Sunyani had proven that the internal wrangling is over.
According to him, the conference is to demonstrate to Ghanaians that the party is more united than ever. Party stalwarts including former President John Agyekum Kufuor, Alan Kyerematen, Hackman Owusu Agyeman and C. K. Tedam among others attended the conference.
Messrs Afoko, Agyapong and Crabbe were on Saturday missing at the party’s extraordinary annual Delegates’ Conference in Sunyani.
It was expected that the suspended executives may not attend the conference but in an interview with some delegates, they said it would have been nice to see the suspended executives at the event.
They indicated that their presence would have sent a strong signal that the party is united despite the internal issues.
The three national Executives have been suspended from the party for various reasons after petitions by some party members.
Mr. Afoko is fighting his suspension in court after the National Council of the party, the second highest decision making body unanimously affirmed his suspension.
The suspended Chairman believes his suspension as a National Officer cannot be more than a month and thus called “upon all who love freedom to uphold our party’s constitution.
Prior to the conference, Mr. Afoko filed a suit in court trying to prevent the party from discussing any issue relating to his suspension but the party argued that that matter was not part of their agenda for the conference hence no need to grant him anything.
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