The Awutu Senya East Constituency Chairman of the National Democratic Congress Stephen Ofosu Agyare has instituted a court action against some executive members of the party for criticising his leadership.
The executive members comprise the constituency youth organizer Nash Adams Nyandey and his deputy Catherine Amosah. The other defendants are Razak Tetteh Addo, Kojo Adande, Ebenezer Manaf Anim, Sufiyanu Halid and Obed Wood all branch executive members of the NDC.
According to the writ of summons issued by the Accra High Court and sighted by Citi News, the chairman has accused the defendants of criticising him in a manner that affects his personal image and therefore pursuing damages in total of GHS 500,000.00, costs and legal fees.
He also wants each defendant to publish an apology and retraction in a nationally circulated newspaper.
According to writ of summons, the chairman has accused the defendants of publishing defamatory statements against him on various WhatsApp groups formed to organise members and advance the interests and work of the National Democratic Congress.
Some of the defamatory statements cited by the plaintiff include “During the last primaries, he paid people like cracked Shatta to spread false allegations that the MP had misused GHS30,000 meant for party activities, claiming she used it to build a house.”
“He lied to us about buying vehicles for the MP, when in fact, her husband acquired all her cars from the US and even bought her new ones, all registered under her name, not borrowed DV plates;” and “He attempted to steal land belonging our former constituency chairman but was prevented by a respected chief, Nai Atope”.
Other statements allegedly attributed to the defendants by the plaintiff include “Reject our outgoing Chairman, Stephen Ofosu Agyare, He was caught with three excavators at Beraku a few days ago while conducting illegal sand-winning operations with his guys” and “Clifford, I think you raise valid point, but the tone could be more constructive. Your interention has prompted the constituents to acknowledge the GHS 20,000 monthly allocation from national, which the executives, led by the Constituency Chairman, have been keeping for no reason” among others.
The court action according to Citi News’s sources in the NDC has heightened the already strained relationship between the chairman and some executives of the party including the member of parliament Phillis Naa Koryoo Okunor.
Since 2020, there’s been a heated rivalry between the camp of the constituency chairman and that of the MP.
While, several interventions have been made by top rank members of the NDC including President John Dramani Mahama, the differences between members of the party appear too far from been settled.
Confirming to Citi News, the constituency chairman, Stephen Ofosu Agyare, said;
“The court action is necessary to redeem my image given that the individuals were hiding behind pseudo accounts to defame me for over six months”.
