Former Central regional Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Bernard Allotey Jacobs, says the party’s purported decision to expel him was just an endorsement of his earlier decision.
According Mr Allotey, he had already resigned from the party on his own freewill before the official statement from the party announcing his expulsion.
He explained on PeaceFm Kokrokoo morning show on Wednesday, March 24, 2021, that the decision rather came too late because he had already pushed himself out of the party two weeks ago.
He indicated that the party decision only endorsed a decision he had taken to part ways with NDC and therefore there was no ill feelings about the party’s action.
The NDC in a statement it issued through its General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, claimed to have expelled its former Central regional chairman for what it described as misconduct and anti-party behaviour.
It also suspended Stephen Atubiga, a member of the party over similar offences.
A statement signed by the NDC General Secretary said the decisions followed a Functional Executive Committee meeting held on Wednesday, March 17, and Thursday, March 18, 2021 respectively.
It said Committees set up by the party to look into the allegations brought against Mr Jacobs pursuant to article 48(1) (b) and 8 (b) of its Constitution found him guilty of the accusations, adding that, it among other things, recommended that he should expelled immediately from the party.
“The Functional Executive Committee acting in compliance of article 48(1) of the NDC Constitution has unanimously adopted the report and accepts fully its recommendation for your expulsion from the party.
“You are therefore by the decision of FEC been expelled from the National Democratic Congress and for that matter no more recognized as a member of the party and cannot carry yourself as such,” the statement said.
It added that; “You are by this letter and pursuant to article 48(10) directed to return any party properties that may be in your custody and shall forfeit any money, dues or subscription fees made to the Party.”
It, therefore, cautioned him to with immediate effect stop holding himself as a member of the party.
On Mr Atubiga, the party said at its meeting on Thursday March 18, 2021 FEC reviewed its decision on his conduct pursuant to the profuse apologies and pledges he made to be of good conduct for a period of six months following a meeting with FEC on February 24, 2021.
FEC had summoned Mr Atubiga over a news item attributed to him and published on Ghanaweb on Saturday, February 13, 2021 captioned, “Only Useless Politicians Retire Poor.”
In the said publication, the statement noted that Mr Atubiga had made disparaging and unfounded comments about key senior Party members, including Professor Joshua Alabi.
“At the end of a lengthy discussion on this and related issues with you, you admitted publishing the said news items, recanted amidst profuse apologies never to do or say anything that would bring the good name of the Party into disrepute, attesting to same in your letter dated 26th February, 2021.
“You also agreed to write officially on your Facebook wall retracting your earlier writings and to write officially to Professor Joshua Alabi apologizing personally to him and to refrain from such defamatory comments in the future,” it said.
However, the statement explained that recent publications on social media attributed to Mr Atubiga on March 8; March 12 and March 14 among others, which denigrated the Party and individuals in the Party indicated that he had not only breached his own promises and hence not reliable but was further denting the image of the Party contrary to article 47 (1) (a, b) of the Party’s Constitution.
It added that Mr Atubiga also failed to write the letter of apology to Professor Alabi as earlier promised.
“At the end of its deliberations therefore, the following decisions were taken in accordance with the said articles 48(1). 48(6), 48(8 a and b) of the Party’s Constitution: That with immediate effect, your membership of the NDC is suspended and that the matter be referred to the Party’s Disciplinary Committee for further action.
“You are therefore by this letter to take note and notice is hereby given that your membership of the NDC is suspended, pending the hearing and final determination by the National Disciplinary Committee,” the statement said.
The statement further urged him to co-operate with the Disciplinary Committee for an expeditious determination of his case.