Samuel Ofosu Ampofo
A group calling itself ‘Action Movement’ of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has urged the party’s National Chairman, Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, to resign and concentrate on his ongoing criminal trial.
Mr. Ofosu-Ampofo is standing trial over a leaked tape in which he purportedly called for the kidnapping and assassination of some persons in the country.
The ‘Action Movement’ in a statement issued and signed by its leader, James Agbey, on Thursday, said, “As the national chairman of the NDC, we expect him to lead the crusade of the rebuilding towards a more formidable NDC prepared for battle come 2020 and not to be preoccupied with tedious criminal case hanging around his neck like an albatross.”
“As unfortunate as this matter is, Chairman Ampofo cannot continue to hold himself out as national chairman and at the same time drag the entire party machinery into the criminal prosecution pending at the courts.
“We have seen instances where party activity had to grind to a halt in order to solidarise with the national chairman at both the police headquarters and the high court,” it added.
According to the statement, “The party needs its full arsenals to win the battle against the NPP. We need a full-time chairman whose attention is undivided.”
It noted that “the national chairman needs all the time in the world to fight the ongoing legal action against him and to help restore his ‘dented’ image and also restore his integrity.” “We are hereby demanding the immediate resignation of the National Chairman of the NDC, Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, to enable him concentrate on his ongoing
legal case. It will be prudent for him to step aside, and for the NDC to focus on prosecuting the election 2020 agenda,” it urged.
The ‘Action Movement’, it said, believes that the resignation will be in the best interest of Mr. Ofosu-Ampofo, and the larger interest of the NDC.
“We also call on the National Council of Elders to, as a matter of urgency, bring pressure to bear on the national chairman to do the honourable thing,” it noted.
BY Melvin Tarlue