The New Patriotic Party has cautioned its members to discount media publications that an emerging political party in the Ashanti Region targets to mobilize NPP members. A statement signed by Mr. Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, General Secretary of the party, said while it recognizes the liberty of any Ghanaian to form a new political party, an impression that followers of Mr Alan Kyerematen have defected from the NPP to form a new party is completely untrue. Below is the full statement The leadership of the New Patriotic Party has noted the unsuccessful attempt by our political opponents and their partners in the media to create some impression that the followers of Mr Alan Kyerematen have defected from the Party to form a new party. We wish to state that this is completely untrue. In particular, we condemn the call by Mr Ben Ephson and the Daily Dispatch that Mr Allan Kyerematen ought to dissociate himself from the new party. All the unsuccessful aspirants in the August 7 Congress (including Mr Kyerematen) have committed themselves by word and by their actions to the success of Nana Akufo-Addo and the NPP in the 2012 general elections. We go into the next elections more united than ever. Before the August Congress, some of our political opponents, especially the ruling NDC and their media accomplices, suggested that the NPP was likely to break up after the Congress. Obviously that did not happen. Instead of bowing their heads in shame and moving from the malicious ways, they continue to peddle false information that followers of Mr Allan Kyerematen are planning a defection. Of course, any Ghanaian is at liberty to form a new political party. But it completely dishonest for anybody to suggest that any rumour or any formation of a new political party must be a defection from the NPP. We call on the Daily Dispatch to retract that false story and its call on Mr Kyerematen to dissociate himself from anything. Finally, we are advising the ruling NDC and their proxies in the media that, instead of dedicating so much time planning defection fabrications about the NPP, they should dedicate the time planning measures to honour their many failed promises. They should spend time doing something about the worsening conditions of living in the country. Signed: Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie DEVELOPMENT IN FREEDOM General Secretary