Kwabena Agyepong, Sammy Crabbe suspended

The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has affirmed the decision of the party's Disciplinary Committee to suspend its Second National Vice-Chairman, Mr Sammy Crabbe, and the General Secretary, Mr Kwabena Agyei Agyepong.

Messrs Crabbe and Agyepong thus join Mr Paul Afoko, the National Chairman who is also serving an indefinite suspension, as national officers of the party facing disciplinary action.

The decision to suspend the two was taken after members of the NEC held a crucial meeting on the matter at the party’s headquarters in Accra on Thursday.

Long before the NEC meeting came to a close, some supporters of the party had converged outside the party’s headquarters popping champagne in a jubilant mood, apparently in anticipation of the announcement.

While dancing to music from their vehicles, some of the women supporters physically swept the main road to signify the temporary exit of the two.

Acting capacity

Briefing journalists after the meeting, the Communications Director of the NPP, Nana Akomea, said Mr John Boadu, the National Organiser of the party, would act in Mr Agyepong’s stead as the General Secretary.

Background

The suspension of the two follows a petition by some aggrieved party members who accused Messrs Crabbe and Agyepong of undermining the party’s authority by publicly rebelling against its decision to indefinitely suspend Mr Afoko.

The petitioners who demanded sanctions against the two include Messrs Chris Arthur, Kwame Baffoe and Mr Boye Laryea, a former President of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology branch of the Tertiary Students Confederacy (TESCON), the Brong Ahafo Regional Youth Organiser and a member of the Greater Accra Regional branch, respectively.

The rest are Adreba Kwaku Abrefa Damoa and Kwabena Afum Dankwa, both of the London branch.

Before their suspension, Mr Crabbe had refused to appear before the Disciplinary Committee after several invitations. He described the decision as illegal and minced no words in chiding the party’s leadership for constitutional breaches.

On the other hand, Mr Agyepong’s posture was perceived as an affront to the regulations of the party.

Indeed, in an interview on October 28, 2015, Mr Agyepong's spokesperson had told an Accra-based FM station that he (the spokesperson) did not recognise the acting National Chairman, Mr Freddie Blay.

The General Secretary himself repeated same when he was interviewed during the recent forum organised by the Electoral Commission on the voters register.

Their utterances are believed to have emboldened the petitioners to take the action.

Petition

The petitioners stated in their pleadings, filed on November 4, 2015, that “Kwabena Agyepong has rubbished, and keeps rubbishing, the suspension of Mr Afoko from his chairmanship. This, in our view, is an act of mischievous contempt for the authority of the party as a whole, including its elders, its leadership and its structures”.

Similar petitions were sent to the party's Disciplinary Committee against Mr Crabbe.

When the Disciplinary Committee invited the two men to answer the allegations levelled against them, Mr Agyepong heeded to the call and respectfully submitted himself before the committee, where he was reported to have apologised for his previous conduct.

Mr Crabbe, however, failed to appear before the committee and challenged its authority to invite him.

His failure to appear before the committee did not stop it from meeting and taking a decision.

Signs were clear

Signs of Messrs Agyepong and Crabbe’s suspension were clear after their key ally on the NEC, Mr Afoko, was suspended indefinitely.

Mr Afoko’s exit left Messrs Agyepong and Crabbe isolated and vulnerable.

Messrs Afoko, Crabbe and Agyepong have acted in concert ever since they were elected into office at the congress in Tamale.

Perhaps the only time the General Secretary did anything without Mr Afoko’s support was when he announced the party’s decision to suspend Mr Afoko.