Kwadwo Mpiani, a distinguished figure known for his role as Chief of Staff during the John Agyekum Kufuor administration, has publicly voiced his concerns regarding the internal challenges currently facing the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP). Mr. Mpiani has asserted that President Nana Akufo-Addo is, to some extent, a contributor to the ongoing issues within the party.
According to Mpiani, the NPP’s problems have significantly intensified following the unconstitutional removal of two prominent party figures: former National Chairman Paul Afoko and former General Secretary Kwabena Agyapong. He argues that the dynamics within the party took a decisive turn when the leadership roles were vacated by these individuals.
“Well, to some extent yes. You know, I think the party’s problems deepened the very day the party decided to sack its Chairman [Paul Afoko] and General Secretary [Kwabena Agyapong], which I believe was unconstitutional under our own party rules, but then the party did it,” Mr Mpiani said in an interview on Joy News.
“Unfortunately, some members, including members of the group to which I belong, take pride in this by saying that they were able to remove these people. As soon as the party removed these people, they gave the party to one man who was the candidate at that time, and who is the President at this time, and this is the problem we have in the party which we are not confronting. And if we don’t confront this problem, we are going to have more problems within the party.”
“What I am saying is that there was this problem, and the party in its wisdom decided to give the party to the Candidate Akufo-Addo, who’s now President Akufo-Addo.”
Asked directly if he meant President Akufo-Addo was the party’s problem, Mr Mpiani said, “He is part of the problem. All of us are part, and he is part of the problem.”
Mpiani’s comments come at a time when the NPP is grappling with internal divisions. Alan Kyerematen, a former Trade and Industry Minister, resigned from the party on Monday, September 25, to contest the 2024 presidential election as an Independent Candidate.
Kyerematen cited the hijacking of the party by a select few as one of the reasons for his resignation.
