Adwoa Safo
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has initiated disciplinary actions against former Member of Parliament for Dome-Kwabenya, Sarah Adwoa Safo, following some utterances she made against the party in her recent media interview.
The decision comes after her comments on JoyNews’ The Pulse show, which the party leadership view as a direct contravention of an earlier directive prohibiting members from discussing matters that could create disaffection and unrest within the party.
Also, her recent tell-it-all interview on Asempa FM’’s Ekosiisen show where she revealed that her recent loss in the parliamentary primaries was a result of a misunderstanding by her party, while apportioning blames to some party bigwigs as being the cause of the party’s abysmal performance in the December 2024 elections.
She also issued a word of caution to Prof. Mike Oquaye, saying, “He should find out what happened in the Dome-Kwabenya Constituency first before preparing his report. Dome-Kwabenya should be number one. He has to let us know why his son lost in his bid to become MP for that constituency. He should explain that before blaming Dr. Bawumia.”
Disciplinary Action
The NPP, in a statement issued by its General Secretary, Justin Kodua Frimpong, indicated that Adwoa Safo’s comments in the media, particularly on The Pulse show on Joy News, are a clear contravention of the directive issued to all NPP members.
“As she is aware, the directive explicitly states that all party members must cease discussing party issues that create unrest, negativism, and disaffection in the media and other related platforms. Her actions not only disregard this directive but also undermine the Party’s efforts to rebuild and move forward.
“As a former Member of Parliament, Former Deputy Majority Leader, and Former Minister of State under the erstwhile NPP government, she was expected to set a good example and adhere to the principles of discipline, unity, and integrity that have always defined our great party,” the statement read.
Mr. Kodua added that her failure to do so not only reflect poorly on her but also contravenes Article 3(5) of the Party’s constitution, which, among others, “enjoins us to promote and defend the good name of the Party.”
“In breach of the above provision of the Party’s constitution and the directives issued earlier, Hon. Sarah Adwoa Safo is hereby referred to the National Disciplinary Committee of the Party for further action,” the statement added.
Hush Directive
In an earlier release, Mr. Kodua had issued a warning to the rank and file of the party to desist from badmouthing fellow party members in the media space.
In a statement available to the paper, the party’s secretary bemoaned the increasing media interaction of some party members who turn to apportion blame for the party’s loss of the 2024 general election.
“We acknowledge the disappointment and emotional distress caused by our recent electoral defeat. Many of us have expressed our anger, disappointment, and frustration on various platforms. However, we urge all party faithful to remain calm and composed, allowing cooler heads to prevail,” the statement read.
Mr. Kodua further indicated that, as the party navigates through this challenging period, “we direct all members to cease discussing party matters that create unrest, negativism, and disaffection in the media and other public platforms. This directive is in line with Article 10(7)(5) of our Party’s Constitution, which mandates us to coordinate party activities and operations.”
He also reminded NPP members of Article 3(5) which enjoins the party to promote and defend the good name of the Party, adding that, “Let us uphold the values of the NPP and work together to rebuild a stronger party for the future.”
Going forward, Kodua reiterated that any member who violates this directive will be referred to the appropriate disciplinary committees by the National, Regional, and Constituency Party leadership.
“Let us prioritise unity, discipline, and internal cohesion as we strive to recover from our electoral defeat. By doing so, we will emerge stronger and more resilient, ready to face future challenges and opportunities.
“Together, let us rebuild and fortify our Party’s structures, ensuring that we remain a united and formidable force in Ghanaian politics,” he added.
Meanwhile, Former Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, in a recent interview with Nhyira FM said NPP flagbearer, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia’s campaign lacked the expected enthusiasm, which reflected on findings from the Ashanti Region regarding the party’s significant loss in the 2024 elections.
“I started seeing signs that the election would not be easy, but we still hoped for a better outcome. The fact that the elections were held in December allowed us to regain some support. If they had been conducted in August, Dr. Bawumia would have polled around 30% against John Mahama because, at that time, economic hardships were severe,” he said.
BY Prince Fiifi Yorke