A New patriotic Party set of rules and regulations banning all MPs and party officers at all levels from openly campaigning for any flag-bearer aspirant, and aimed at shaping up ethical behavior in the party appears set to fan dissent. The code, announced by party General Secretary Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, says party officers at all levels – national, regional, constituency, polling station and overseas branch and MPs - ought to refrain from openly declaring their support for any individual candidate or campaigning for them. According to Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, who spoke on Asempa FM, the rule has been in existence since 31st March, and is binding on every party member until August 7 when a presidential candidate is elected. But a number of MP’s say they are not aware of any such rule in the party, and unless convinced that this is a decision of mandated party leaders or organs and is in the best interest of the party, they are ready to flout it. Atwima-Mponua MP Isaac Asiamah, said he was hearing of the said rule for the first time on Asempa FM. He told Nana Kwabena Bobie Ansah on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen programme that it was a very dangerous path to tread if it was indeed true that such a rule existed in the party. Isaac Asiamah is known to back Nana Akufo-Addo’s desire to be elected NPP flagbearer again and was on Wednesday loud on Asempa FM to extol his virtues. He intends to continue his campaign but he said the alleged rule can only be a fiat that should not be entertained in a democratic party like the NPP. He said the announcement by the NPP General Secretary would portray some in the party as lawless, but that should not be the case at all because he does not believe the party’s law making bodies have decided any such laws. Another MP Dominic Nitiwul, (Bimbila) who also heard of the alleged rule only on Thursday, was even surprised that the party would set such a rule, knowing that MP’s are very active political elements. He said the party was no novice in electing a flagbearer and should be seen to be conducting affairs more maturely. For him it is impossible to gag any MP from actively participating in the process and does not know why the party would set such a rule. He does not even think that the national executives alone have the power to make such a fiat and he was sure in the coming days, about twenty MPs are going to declare support for Nana Akufo-Addo because they believe he is the best candidate for the party and nation. Nitiwul said for the sake of discipline and party cohesion, he would be careful what he does but he would challenge his party secretary on the veracity of the said rule. Asokwa MP Maxwel Kofi Jumah said what the party general secretary quoted as rules and regulations was his own interpretation of the party’s constitution and that he was not aware of the existence of any such rule in the party. He said he disagreed with Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie on the issue because no organ of the party clothed with capacity to make such rules has taken such a decision. A keen supporter of Alan Kyerematen as flagbearer, Kofi Jumah said if he got confirmation that there was a new rule in the party banning MP’s from campaigning for flagbearers then he would comply with it, however he does not believe such a rule exist and so he would continue to campaign for Alan Kyerematen to lead the NPP in the 2012 general elections. Story by Isaac Yeboah/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana