A political scientist,Professor Alidu Seidu has criticized the dismissal of some four members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Former Kpone Katamanso Member of Parliament (MP), Hopeson Adorye, former General Secretary, Nana Ohene Ntow, former Madina MP, Boniface Abubakar Saddique, and former Adentan MP, Yaw Buaben Asamoa were expelled for openly supporting independent candidate Alan Kyerematen’s Movement for Change.
General Secretary of the NPP, Justin Frimpong Kodua, issued a statement on Monday, November 20, stated that their actions were violation of the party’s constitution.
But reacting to this, Prof Alidu criticized the NPP’s handling of the matter, saying the party should have invited the four accused persons to explain themselves before taking any disciplinary action.
He observed that many NPP members still support Mr Kyerematen, but were also committed to the party and cautioned that the outright dismissal of some members could cause disunity in the NPP.
“NPP’s dismissal of some supporters of Alan Kyerematen can trigger defiance among party members who support him behind the scenes,” he said.
He said the action could also give credence to Mr Kyerematen’s accusation that the party was intolerant and discriminatory, leading to his decision to quit.
Prof. Seidu said the move could deepen divisions within the party and undermine reconciliation efforts following Mr Kyerematen’s resignation.
“There are still a whole lot of people, both grassroots and party hierarchy who love this man and want to support him, but still think that they can contribute their quota to the NPP while supporting him behind the scenes.
But these kinds of actions can trigger a positive defiance on the part of the grassroots or people who support him. If care is not taken, it can lead to a serious misunderstanding and disunity within the party,” he added.
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