If it could be recalled, the Ashanti Regional Executive Committee (REC) of the New Patriotic Party on the 29th July, 2019 resolved that the three (3) orphan constituencies in the region shall sponsor the candidature of the three (3) MMDCEs in those constituencies, with the aim of annexing them.
Article 9(20) and article 18 of the party’s constitution, together with conventional practices in our party gives the Regional Executive Committee the powers to take some decision that will inure to the supreme interest of the party.
This is also not to say that members of the party will at all times agree with the decision of the party, so the constitution has provided a room for any party member aggrieved by the decision of the party (REC) to seek redress through appropriate channel as can be found in article 4(8.1) and 4(8.4), and not to send internal party matters to the court of public opinion, since members of the party are supposed to “abide by and publicly uphold the decisions of the Party” as stated in article 3.5(A4) of the constitution.
Article 4(8.1) and article 4(8.4) of the party constitution states that “A Member with a grievance against the Party may, in writing, petition the Constituency, Regional or National Executive Committee, as the case may be, for redress” and “A Member aggrieved by, or dissatisfied with, the decision of the Constituency, Regional or National Executive Committee, as the case may be, may, within seven (7) days from the date of the receipt of the notice of the decision, appeal, in the case of the decision by the Constituency Executive Committee, to the Regional Executive Committee, in the case of a decision by the Regional Executive Committee, to the National Executive Committee, whose decision shall be final” respectively.
But when the Regional Executive Committee resolved on the above with Manaf being dissatisfied, due processes of appeal to the National Executive Committee should have been followed within seven (7) days by him as stipulated in article 4(8.4). Instead, he was seen staging Facebook live videos and running from one media house to the other uttering words that seek to bring the name of the party into disrepute and public ridicule in line with article 4.7.1(g). In fact, some of his actions in the radio and video interactions were line with article 4.7.1a, 4.7.1c, 4.7.1e and 4.7.1g of our constitution’s provision on misconducts.
Some members of the party found his conducts in contravention with the party’s constitution and so petitioned the disciplinary committee. This among other reasons called for his appearance before the Committee. His audios and videos were played to him by the committee, and he accepted the charges levelled against him.
A recommendation to suspend him was sent to the Regional Executive Committee, which comprises of the Regional officers of the party, MPs, MMDCEs, Regional Ministers, and Constituency Chairpersons. The decision was unanimously taken by members of REC, and not a bilateral decision of Chairman Wontomi and Mr. Sam Pyne as it was made to look. That must also be made clear.
Meanwhile article 4.7(2) of the party’s constitution states that “ANY conduct which has the effect of any of the above shall attract sanctions, including fines, suspension, expulsion from the party or disqualification from holding any office or position in the party for a stated period to be recommended by the relevant disciplinary committee, subject to such modification as the executive committee may make.” Article 4.7(2) made it clear that if a member engages in any act of misconducts found in article 4.7.1, that member should face a sanction.
The questions we should be asking ourselves now should be; is it true that Manaf has engaged himself in acts of misconduct? And is it true that he accepted the charges of misconducts levelled against him before the Disciplinary Committee after he was referred to his own audios and videos? And are we saying that just because of the fact that he is in a parliamentary race, even if he engages himself in act(s) of indiscipline, he shouldn’t face the necessary sanction(s) as state in article 4.7.2 of the party’s constitution? We know your guess is as good as ours. No one is immune against the law.
We are therefore advising him and his supporters to seek redress through the party’s laid down procedures, because what they are doing is nothing but worsening his case. The rallying on radio station will not help, and hearing him on Pure FM after his suspension accusing the Ashanti Regional Chairman and the Secretary of taking something from the MMDCEs, and disclosing his alleged secrete conversation with one of the National Officers of the party to the media is something we find very unfortunate and disappointing. Without stating the specifics, these were some of the things he did after the resolution that landed him into this suspension. Members of the party must be guided by the rules and regulations of the party.
Finally, it must also be made clear that Manaf was suspended on grounds of indiscipline and misconduct, and has nothing more to do with him contesting as a parliamentary candidate. These are two (2) separate events with different processes, so the need for us to draw the line between the two (2). Let not anyone box them together. Distinguishing the two (2) will guide the discussions around this subject. We have already provided in paragraph 2 and 3 how an aggrieved party member can seek redress when he or she is dissatisfied with the party’s decision, without misconducting him/herself.
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