The Disciplinary Committee (DC) of the New Patriotic Party has recommended a 15-month suspension for embattled General Secretary Kwabena Agyepong, Myjoyonline.com has learnt. It has also recommended an indefinite suspension for its second vice chairman, Sammy Crabbe.
Sources within the party have confirmed the recommendation but will not go on record, at least before the National Executive Council meet on Thursday to consider the recommendations.
The two men were hauled before the Committee for various acts of misconduct in the wake of the suspension of the party’s Chairman Paul Afoko. Both men had described the suspension as illegal with Kwabena Agyepong recusing himself from a meeting called by the acting chair of the party and 1st Vice Chairman Freddie Blay.
The second Vice-chair who was out of the country at the time of the suspension condemned the decision by the party’s Disciplinary Committee and the National Executive Council.
Not even the seal of approval by the National Council of the party [the second most powerful institution in the party, second only to Congress] to suspend Paul Afoko could change the mind of Mr Crabbe.
The two publicly questioned the powers of the NEC to suspend Afoko, choosing rather to recognise him [Afoko] as the legitimate leader of the party and not Freddie Blay. Some party members who were unhappy with the conduct of the two gentlemen decided to petition the party hierarchy and demanded sanctions against the two.
When the Disciplinary Committee invited the two men to answer to the petitions brought against them, the General Secretary cooperated with the Committee members and was reported to have shown remorse, a claim his aide is now dismissing.
However, the second vice chairman refused to appear before the committee. He questioned the authority of the Committee to invite him and to answer questions of misconduct against him. After deliberations, Myjoyonline.com has learnt the DC recommended a 15-month suspension for Agyepong.
It is believed his posture before the committee must have informed the Committee to be ‘lenient’ with him while handing a relatively stiffer punishment to Crabbe.
The National Executive Council will however meet later in the week to affirm or quash the decision taken by the Disciplinary Committee. If the decision is affirmed it means Kwabena Agyepong will only return as General Secretary after the 2016 election is over.
