The New Patriotic Party has with immediate effect banned all Members of Parliament, Constituency and Regional Chairpersons and other Executives of the party from openly declaring their support for presidential candidates. The General Secretary of Party, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie popularly known as Sir John, disclosed this to Citi FM Thursday. According to him, the situation in which party executives openly declare support for flagbearer aspirants can lead to insanity, bringing the name of the NPP into disrepute. He said punitive measures will be taken against any member of the party who holds such a position and openly declares his support for a particular presidential candidate. “Anybody who does that for any candidate, we will sack you away” He said this measure would ensure a level playing field for the entire candidates, preventing acrimony and vile propaganda against the aspirants. Mr Owusu Afriyie said that presidential candidates should set up offices and map out campaign strategies as well as put in place structures to canvas votes for themselves. He further disclosed that the party has issued a month ultimatum to all Party executives who have interest in any position such as MP or flagbearer for the 2012 elections to resign from their current position. “Any officer, be it a constituency chairman, a polling station chairman, or any executive who has any interest…whatsoever to contest as a presidential aspirant or as an MP in the 2012 elections must resign, we are giving them one month to resign from their current position”. Asked whether Maxwell Kofi Jumah and Dominic Nitiwul both NPP MP’s for Asokwa and Bimbila constituencies respectively have flouted the laws by openly declaring their support for Alan Kyeremateng and Nana Addo, Sir John said the two may not be aware of the party’s law that prevented members from such act. According to him, to the extent that they were ignorant in the past, they can be pardoned but now that the law is in effect, they will be dealt with if they flout it. He implored all NPP MPs and party executives to read the constitution of the party in order not to do anything that will seek to undermine and bring the country’s largest opposition party into disrepute. In a quick reaction, Maxwell Kofi Jumah MP for Asokwa constituency said he disagrees with the General Secretary of the party since he[ Kofi Jumah] said he is unaware of the directive from the party. Mr Jumah has several times declared his support for Alan Kyeremateng. He said he does not foresee how a person’s open support for a presidential candidate could bring insanity into the party. “I don’t see how open support for a candidate will bring insanity; I think it will rather bring an enlightened discussion in the party…if an MP cannot support a candidate who else will?” He queried. He told Citi FM that members of the party who hold higher positions such as the National Chairman, General Secretary and other top positions in the party must rather desist from declaring open support for candidates because they set the rules. Source: citifmonline.com