The Accra Human Rights Court hearing the suit filed by the suspended New Patriotic Party (NPP) Chairman, Paul Afoko, challenging his indefinite suspension is set to deliver its judgement today, August 15, 2016.
The court presided over by Justice Anthony Yeboah adjourned the case to the said date after both parties told the court that they had filed their written addresses as directed at the last sitting.
At the last adjourned date the defense counsel closed its case. A member of the NPP, Peter Mac Manu, confirmed his witness statement filed by the defense counsel on April 7 as his evidence in chief, after which he was duly cross examined.
Mr. Afoko is challenging his indefinite suspension from the party, arguing it is illegal. The NPP’s National Executive Committee suspended him in October 2015 for “misconduct.”
According to him, the action and processes leading to his suspension by some elements of the party were unconstitutional and a breach of natural justice.
The decision was adopted by the party’s National Council, which was the second highest decision making body of the party after congress but he maintained the party erred in the decision.
Mr. Afoko had on November 18, 2015, expressed his intention to resort to the court on grounds that his suspension, which was subsequently approved by the National Council of the NPP, was unconstitutional.
The plaintiff argued that he was the National Chairman of the first defendant, having been duly elected by an overwhelming majority of votes at a national delegates’ congress of the NPP in Tamale in 2014.
He said the first defendant was a political party duly registered under the relevant laws of Ghana after satisfying all the requirements imposed on political parties by both the 1992 Constitution and the Political Parties Act.
According to him, the second defendant was the first National Vice Chairman of the first defendant having been duly elected into office by majority of votes at the national delegates’ congress of the party in Tamale in 2014.
“I swore an oath at the Tamale National Delegates Congress to defend and uphold the constitution of the party to over 5,000 party delegates, members and supporters and this is exactly what I intend to do,” Afoko stated.
Background
On October 23, 2015, The New Patriotic Party (NPP’s) National Executive Committee (NEC) unanimously voted to suspend its National Chairman Paul Afoko indefinitely.
The NEC upheld the overwhelming decision by the Disciplinary Committee which decided that Mr Afoko be suspended.
Report said the decision was taken in a meeting called on Friday October 23, by First National Vice Chairman, Freddie Blay.
The Disciplinary Committee took the decision first, after the National Council of Elders in September, wrote to it, demanding amongst others, that the National Chairman Paul Afoko, be made to step aside until after 2016 elections.
That Friday’s NEC meeting was marred by violence in the morning when members of the party’s private security, ‘the Invisible Forces,’ burnt a motorbike and destroyed the windscreen of a taxi cab at the party office.
According to them, a youth group they suspect were members of ‘Bolga Bull Dog’ who are allegedly loyalists of Mr. Afoko had attempted to disrupt the meeting.
The Council in the letter enumerated amongst others, the many challenges the party had been facing in recent months and the failure of the Chairman to restore order.
By Kweku Antwi-Otoo|Onua 95.1FM|Ghana
Twitter: @3newsgh
