Member of Parliament for Obuasi West, Kwaku Kwarteng, has petitioned the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to institute disciplinary proceedings against the Member of Parliament for Effiduase-Asokore, Dr. Nana Ayew Afriye, over what he describes as false claims made during an appeal involving the Obuasi West Constituency executive elections.
In a petition dated July 12, 2026, addressed to the NPP General Secretary and copied to the party’s National Steering Committee, National Disciplinary Committee and Ashanti Regional executives, Mr. Kwarteng also appealed for the reversal of a recommendation by the Ashanti Regional Executive Committee that cleared Kofi Appianin Ennin to contest for the position of First Vice Chairman of the Obuasi West Constituency.
The dispute stems from a recommendation issued by the Ashanti Regional Executive Committee on July 6, 2026, which accepted a claim that Kofi Appianin Ennin’s independent parliamentary candidature during the 2024 general election had been authorised by the party as a strategy to attract votes from political opponents.
According to Mr. Kwarteng, who served as the NPP’s parliamentary candidate and campaign manager for Obuasi West during the 2024 elections, the claim is “entirely false.”
He maintained that neither he, the constituency executive committee nor any authorised party organ approved, sponsored or supported an independent candidature against the party’s officially endorsed parliamentary candidate.
Mr. Kwarteng further argued that the Regional Executive Committee relied on unverified assertions without conducting any investigation or presenting evidence to substantiate the claim.
He also contended that even if such authorisation had been granted, it would have been unconstitutional under the NPP’s constitution because the party’s rules automatically terminate the membership of any member who contests as or supports an independent candidate against the party’s official nominee.
According to the Obuasi West MP, recognising such an alleged authorisation would undermine the party’s constitution and expose the NPP to reputational and electoral damage by creating the impression that it deliberately sponsored an independent candidate to influence election outcomes.
“The party has its own interest in resolving this matter on the true facts, not on an unverified and self-serving claim,” the petition stated.
As part of the reliefs sought, Mr. Kwarteng wants the National Disciplinary Committee to commence disciplinary proceedings against Dr. Nana Ayew Afriye under Article 4 of the party’s constitution for allegedly bringing the party into disrepute through the affirmation of what he describes as a false claim.
He is also asking the party to reverse the Ashanti Regional Executive Committee’s recommendation that cleared Kofi Appianin Ennin to contest the First Vice Chairman position and reinstate the Constituency Appeals Committee’s earlier decision disqualifying Mr. Ennin, Kofi Owusu Ansah and Joseph Kwabena Bonsu from contesting the constituency executive elections.
The petition follows an earlier decision by the Constituency Appeals Committee, which upheld the disqualification of the three aspirants but indicated that its decision could change if evidence emerged that Mr. Ennin’s independent candidature had been authorised by the party.
As of the time of filing this report, the New Patriotic Party had not publicly responded to the petition or indicated whether disciplinary proceedings would be initiated.
The developments add a new dimension to the internal contest over the Obuasi West Constituency executive elections, with the party’s national leadership now expected to determine the petition in accordance with its disciplinary and appeals procedures.
Source: www.kumasimail.com
