The People's National Conven¬tion (PNC) has stated that Mr John Ndebugre, the First Vice National Chairman of the party ''is still on suspension in line with the decision of the disciplinary committee and the national standing committee of the party" and cannot be the acting chairman of the party. It said the suspension of Mr Ndebugre was not disturbed by the recent High Court ruling. This was contained in a statement signed by the General Secretary of the PNC, Mr Gabriel Pwamang, dated October 10, 2007 in reaction to a story published by the Daily Graphic of Wednesday, October 10, 2007 under the headline " Ndebugre is acting PNC Chairman". In the story the paper quoted the National Chairman of the PNC, Dr Mike Mensah-Bonsu, as directing that in his absence, Mr Ndebugre would act as the national chairman of the party. The statement said it was not the prerogative of the chairman of the party to determine the person to act as chairman of the party in his absence. "It is the constitution and regulation of the party that made the provision for those matters and described Dr Mensah-Bonsu’s letter as "superfluous". "You may recall that in an earlier statement in the court case Mr Ndebugre brought against the party in the Fast Track High Court, an offer was made to lift his suspension on condition that he withdrew the suit. Though the offer to lift the suspension was handed to him and published in the media, he refused to accept it and refused to withdraw the case", the PNC statement said. It said Mr Ndebugre insisted and the case was listed and argued in the court, where he lost. He has still not withdrawn the case from the court. "In this circumstance his suspension still stands and he has no authority to carry himself out as the First Vice Chairman of the PNC, and certainly not acting national chairman of the party," it said. It will be recalled that Dr Mike Mensah-Bonsu, whose two-year absence from the party caused a lot of legal and media tussle within the rank and file of the party, has left the country again for Canada. A statement signed by him said: "I have to get back to Canada for a review of my health situation. I am therefore going to be away from Monday, October 8, 2007. "In my absence, Mr John Ndebugre, the 1st National Vice Chairman, will hold the fort. I crave the indulgence of all party members to co-operate with Mr Ndebugre in the interest of the party," he said. The statement added that there were some issues within the party which needed to be resolved before the forthcoming general elections in 2008 and thanked all members of the party for the warm welcome they accorded him on his arrival back in Ghana. Source: Daily Graphic