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A decision by the General Secretary of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kwabena Agyei Agyapong and the National Chairman, Paul Afoko, to �professionalize� the party�s communications directorate going into the 2016 Presidential and Parliamentary elections, has left its leadership divided with some scathingly attacking the two individuals. Leading the attack is the NPP First Vice-chairman; Freddie Worsemawu Armah Blay, who is publicly questioning his General Secretary, over the decision to ask acting Director of Communications, Perry Okudzeto to proceed on an immediate leave. A letter signed by Kwabena Agyapong, last Wednesday, asked Mr. Okudzeto to proceed on a two-year accumulated leave with immediate effect. The letter also asked him to handover all party materials in his possession to the administrative secretary. The Herald, is meanwhile informed that Mr. Agyapong, has only set out to redefine the NPP communications from what is �an insult machinery� to a strategically political communications setup, to discuss policies and alternatives to what is coming from the government. The NPP General Secretary, is said to have the opinion that the NPP communication machinery is unprofessional, besides it is skewed towards one flagbearer aspirant, hence ought to be reorganized and given a purposeful direction going into the 2016 elections. But the owner of the Accra-based Daily Guide, is on the view that this and other decisions by the Chief Scribe, are in total contravention of the party�s Constitution adding, Mr. Agyapong is over stepping his powers as a General Secretary by taking decisions �which will gravely affect us as a party�. Speaking on Asempa FM�s Ekosii Sen programme last Friday, the first vice-chairman, expressed shock at what he says is the growing ego of Mr. Agyepong. He explained that the General Secretary, cannot take a unilateral decision to sack or appoint anyone without the approval of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party of which he (Blay) is a member. �Kwabena Agyepong is taking so many things for granted; he should know the NPP is not his property,� Mr. Blay added. Mr. Okudzeto, the discharged Communications Director has said, he was �stunned� by the directive of the national party executives for him to proceed on leave, but added he was not �perturbed�. Reacting to the letter, Okudzeto said, the directive appears to be borne out of malice. According to him, working for a political organisation is a voluntary service which neither required workers to take pensions nor to be made to proceed on leave. He said in a manner akin to dismissing DCEs or asking them to proceed on leave, especially during military regimes, three national executives- Chairman, Paul Afoko, Secretary, Kwabena Agyapong and Acting Director of Finance and Administration- invited him for a meeting in the party offices. He was subjected to several rounds of questions and answer sessions, after which he was asked to proceed on leave, after he was asked how long he had worked for the party and whether or not he had taken his accumulated leave. His answer was simple- he had worked for four years and taken no leave. He said, he was then directed to proceed on a two year accumulated leave, which would take effect on Monday, August 18, 2014. �I was stunned. I had never heard any single [party] officer go on leave,� he stated. He said, the explanations given were that the new administration is trying to professionalise the running of the party. He said, he was not worried by the development and would proceed on leave as directed, except to add that the NPP is a party of rules and at the right time, things would be done the right way. Mr. Okudzeto said, his decision to serve the NPP was out of goodwill and would, therefore, not be worried if the party is no longer in need of his services. �I started working for the NPP since 2009, and there was nothing like NPP communication director, so I made an offer and I decided to work out of will. The General Secretary then, never told me of any conditions attached to my appointment, so I was surprised Mr Kwabena Agyapong decided to communicate this information to me�. �I am surprised that I could be asked to proceed on leave for doing a sacrificial job for my party, all I can say is that, I am not perturbed, but posterity will judge us all. They claim they want to professionalize the communications of the party, so some of us should proceed on leave�, Okudzeto lamented on Asempa FM Perry Okudzeto, has been working at the NPP headquarters since 2008. There are, however, speculations of a frosty relationship between him and the newly elected executives of the party. Pollster Ben Ephson, told Joy News if anybody ever doubted there was a crack in the NPP, what is happening now is the evidence of that crack. �The chickens have come home to roost,� he told Joy News� Evans Mensah, adding it looks like the Alan, Akufo-Addo battle for the party�s National Headquarters is on course.