Former New Patriotic Party (NPP) stalwart Yaw Buaben Asamoa has alleged that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has effectively seized control of the party.
The former Communications Director of the NPP asserts that the president’s wishes and preferences supersede those of the party, rendering individuals who fall out of favour with the president “useless” within the party.
Asamoa’s remarks stem from his recent decision, along with three other prominent NPP members, Hopeson Adorye, Nana Ohene Ntow, and Boniface Abubakar Saddique, to endorse and campaign for independent presidential candidate Alan Kyerematen.
As a consequence of their actions, the NPP has formally expelled them from the party, citing their flagrant violation of the party’s Constitution.
In an interview with Umaru Sanda on Citi TV’s Face to Face on Tuesday, Mr Asamoa expressed deep disappointment with the current state of the NPP, lamenting the stark contrast between the party he joined years ago and the one it has become today.
He attributed the party’s decline to rampant factionalism and the overbearing influence of the executive branch, led by President Akufo-Addo.
Asamoa decried the president’s dominance over the party, stating, “The NPP that I knew in the beginning is not the NPP that exists now. The party has become divided by heavy factionalism. Literally, it’s become divided by the executive. The government has taken over. The personality of the president is overbearing and he controls that party.”
He further emphasized the detrimental impact of the president’s control, declaring, “That means that if you don’t do the president’s [bidding] if you are not in the president’s good books, you are not useful to the party. That is the bottom line. That is what is happening.”