A Legal practitioner, Sule Sambian grabbed the Secretary position while the regional organiser slot went to Alhaji Rashid COP, a former Youth Organizer. The 1st Vice Chairman position went to Iddrisu Sunday while the Northern Regional Coordinator of the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP), Felicia Tettey was elected 2nd Vice Chair. Mohammed Alhassan was voted the Youth Organizer position as Hajia Rahana Aziz snatched the Women’s Organizer title with Alhaji Sibidow Alhassan Yakubu winning the Regional Treasurer position.
The incumbent Assistant Regional Secretary, Haruna Iddrisu retained his position while Sham-Una Ilyasu Mohammed kept his as the Nasara Coordinator for the region.
WATCH: Watch exclusive images of Bugri Naabu’s accident
Two days to the regional polls, Mr. Naabu was involved in a motor crash – an incident some described as orchestrated to win sympathy votes.
Naabu towed his mangled vehicle 130km from Larbanga, where it crashed Thursday dawn, to the voting grounds at the Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium. Party members raced in dismay to circle around the car and amidst loud murmuring of divergent views trying to read meaning into the unexpected episode.
Akilu Sayibu, a leading regional figure of the party and an appointee told Starr News Naabu was trying to defuse widespread rumour that the car crash incident was staged to draw the sympathy of delegates to vote for him.
Looming defeat
Prior to the internal elections, the vociferous regional chairman had written to president Akufo-Addo presenting a long list of more than 15 individuals including leading opposition figures accusing them of plots to cause his defeat.
Naabu accused former president Mahama, his brother, Ibrahim Mahama, and suspended chairman and bankroller of the NPP, Paul Afoko, of sponsoring an extravagant campaign run by his close contender, Mohammed Adam Samba, to scuttle his chairmanship ambition in the coming elections.
“Rumors are rife that he (Samba) is being supported by the former President, John Dramani Mahama, his brother, Ibrahim Mahama and Mr. Paul Afoko who want to “disgrace” me for “disgracing” them. They have vowed to teach me a lesson”, Bugri whined in the leaked letter seen by Starr News.
The “disgrace” is believed to be in reference to the allegations against the Mahama’s in 2016, a few days to the General Elections, that he was bribed to make false accusations against then-candidate Akufo-Addo as someone who hates northerners. In 2015, he contributed to the suspension of Paul Afoko as chairman of the NPP.
 

The President on Friday nominated new District Chief Executives for Gushegu, West Mamprusi and Bunkprugu districts but since the announcement of the list of the new nominees in the northern region, there has been tension, acrimony and rioting especially in the West Mamprusi town of Walewale.

According to Bugri Naabu in the case of Gushegu, the Konkombas are threatening to attack facilities of the party because they feel cheated and deceived.

He claims the Konkombas feel cheated by the NPP as the initial plan was for them to support the party to win some parliamentary seats in the area in order to have some of their own appointed as DCEs in return.

“In Gushegu, Konkombas are threatening to attack our party facilities and destroy them because they feel deceived and cheated. It was an agreement [among] them and the Vice President and the regional chairman and even the President that if they should vote for the MP to win, the Konkombas would be appointed as DCE.

“But now they have realized they have been deceived, because the MP is the Deputy Minister for Tourism, Alhaji Tampuli is the Chief Executive Officer for the National Petroleum Authority, and Rita Tani is a Deputy [High Commissioner] to the United Kingdom, and just the DCE position for the Konkombas. They have been denied again and so there is tension brewing in the area.” He said.

Mr. Bugri Naabu says he sees as security threat and therefore has asked for a holdup onto the confirmation of the nominees of West Mamprusi and Gushegu until he further consult the President on the matter for an amicable resolution.

Listen to Bugri Naabu

He called for ceasefire on the brouhaha surrounding the President’s municipal and district chief executive nominees for some districts in the region.

Gushiegu, Bunkpurugu-Yunyoo and West Mamprusi Districts are the identified hotspots where party executives and supporters are up in arms against the President’s nominees.

But Daniel Bugri Naabu in an interview with Adom News appealed to the agitators to exercise maximum restraint and support the President’s nominees.

Daniel Bugri Naabu admonished them to collaborate with party leaders and the traditional authorities to deepen peaceful coexistence in their respective areas.

“I am appealing to everyone to be calm and let peace prevail. However, I will appeal to the president that there is a lot of saboteurs and so he shouldn’t allow people to destroy his nomination and so I want president to allow those who have been rejected to act for the meantime” he said.

Listen to Bugri Naabu 

They mentioned Daniel Bugri Naabu, Madam Otiko Afisa Djaba, Rockson Bukari and Kamaldeen Abdulai and demanded they should be invited and thoroughly investigated for allegedly ,masterminding the death of the late Adams Mahama.

At a press conference in Sandema on Monday May 15, 2017 addressed by Robert Atong Asekabta, he disclosed that the true murderers of the former NPP leader are still walking free whilst their kinsman who is innocent has been in incarceration for almost two years.

They also demanded that pragmatic steps to be taken by the police following recent revelations by embattled Northern Regional Chairman of the NPP, Daniel Bugri Naabu to get the right perpetrators of the crime apprehended.

“We want to state at this juncture that even though our son, brother and relative has been in incarceration for almost two years in connection with the killing of the late Adams, we have been very clear in our minds that Gregory Afoko is innocent and that the true killers of the late Adams Mahama are still walking the streets of Ghana as free people”

Read Full Text Of the Family Press Conference

STATEMENT BY THE FAMILY OF GREGORY AFOKO ON THE RECENT REVELATIONS BY DANIEL BUGRI NAABU, THE NORTHERN REGIONAL CHAIRMAN OF THE NEW PATRIOTIC PARTY (NPP) ON THE ALLEGED KILLERS OF THE LATE ADAMS MAHAMA, THE UPPER EAST REGIONAL CHAIRMAN OF THE NPP AT SANDEMA ON MONDAY, MAY 15, 2017

Ladies and gentlemen of the media, the family of Gregory Afoko wishes to thank you very much for responding to our invitation at this short notice.

It is our hope that what we are about to share with you today will be given the needed space, airtime and prominence in your various news media organizations in the interest of justice and fair play, and more importantly, in finding the true killers of our brother and friend the late Adams Mahama who sadly died from alleged acid burns from unknown assailants at the time.

May his soul rest in perfect peace.

Ladies and gentlemen of the media, we want to take this opportunity not to remind the family of the late Adams Mahama of the pain they are already experiencing, but to sincerely wish them very well and also to assure them that we have been with them, albeit on the quiet, in their quest to find the true killers of their son, brother, husband and father.

We want to state at this juncture that even though our son, brother and relative has been in incarceration for almost two years in connection with the killing of the late Adams, we have been very clear in our minds that Gregory Afoko is innocent and that the true killers of the late Adams Mahama are still walking the streets of Ghana as free people.

We, again, want to state unequivocally that the quest to find the true killers of the late Adams Mahama must be the concern of all peace-loving Ghanaians irrespective of their status in society.

The security agencies, especially the Ghana Police Service, whose duty it is to find the killers of the late Adams must therefore not show any signs of tardiness for whatever reasons in the performance of such duty!

It is to encourage the security agencies to perform their duty without fear or favour and to help find the true killers of Adams Mahama that the police and the other security agencies must not take lightly the recent revelation by the Northern Regional Chairman of the NPP, Daniel Bugri Naabu, to the effect that Mr. Rockson Bukari, the Upper East Regional Minister, and Madam Otiko Afisah Djaba, the Minister of Women, Gender and Social Protection, were part of those who masterminded the killing of the late Adams Mahama!

As stated already, it was someone’s allegation in connection with the killing of Adams against Gregory Afoko that led to his arrest from his sleep at dawn by the police. Despite his repeated denials of the act he has been accused of, he is still in prison custody and presently facing trial at the High Court.

So, just as Gregory Afoko was arrested on the allegation of someone, it is our humble plea to the police that Madam Otiko Djaba, Mr. Rockson Bukari and Bugri Naabu himself be arrested or invited by the police to assist them in finding who actually killed Adams Mahama and for what purpose. The law must be seen to be applied equally to all manner of persons including Bugri, Bukari and Otiko!

We want to bring to the attention of the general public that, whilst not questioning the professional competence of the Ghana Police Service, we believe that the investigation into the killing of Adams Mahama has not been the best. The police have not widened the net of their investigations enough. For instance, some hours after the night Adams Mahama sadly passed on, the current National Nasara Co-ordinator of the NPP, one Kamal Deen Abdulai, was heard in the media saying that he had called to inform the late Adams to take issues of his personal security seriously and that he should be prayerful.

What informed Kamal Deen’s alleged advice to the late Adams Mahama? What did he know beforehand that he was minded to advise the late Adams about his personal security? Why did he tell the late Adams to be prayerful? Why did the police not invite Kamal Deen to assist them in their investigation of the death of the late Adams. We think the police should have been interested. They must still be interested!

Ladies and gentlemen, another senior party member in the person of Daniel Bugri Naabu, the Northern Regional Chairman of the governing NPP has mentioned the names of Madam Otiko Afisa Djaba and Mr. Rockson Bukari as being part of secret meetings that masterminded the killing of the late Adams. Has the Ghana Police Service heard about this new development? If they have, what are they doing about it? If they have not, then we are by this press conference informing Ghanaians including the Ghana Police Service that Mr. Bugri Naabu has, out of his own volition, volunteered information on those he knew masterminded the killing of the late Adams Mahama. This startling revelation was made in a number of radio interviews and same has been published or aired by a number of news media organizations including those on the internet!

Ladies and gentlemen, we shall follow this press conference with a petition to the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and the Attorney-General for them to initiate criminal proceedings against the four: Kamal Deen Abdulai, Daniel Bugri Naabu, Rockson Bukari and Otiko Afisa Djaba, in connection with Adams Mahama’s death! The true killers must be found. We shall support any genuine moves by individuals and groups with the noble intention of helping to find the true killers of the late Adams Mahama.

We wish to appeal to Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), the Ghana Bar Association (GBA), the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), the Ghana Chapter of Amnesty International as well as foreign missions in Ghana to add their voices to our call on the police and government to have these three individuals arrested or invited to assist in finding the true killers of the late Adams Mahama.

We are interested in seeing our Gregory Afoko walk out of prison custody as a free man. We also believe that the family of the late Adams Mahama want to see his true killers so we should all join forces to help the security agencies find the true killers.

We wish to thank Ghanaians who have sympathized with us so far in our moment of pain and have also called on the police and government to arrest or invite the four persons.

Thank you for your attention.

..……………………………………………………

ROBERT ATONG ASEKABTA

Bugri Naabu and Otiko Djaba have been exchanging abusive words on various media platforms after the former lost temper and disrupted a meeting chaired by the latter in the Northern Region.

Outspoken Bugri Naabu had argued that the meeting was being held under his political jurisdiction without his knowledge, deeming it as a gross disrespect to his authority.

He caused a stir when he alleged in an interview that Otiko Djaba and Northern Regional Minister, Rockson Bukari, had knowledge of the gruesome murder of NPP Upper East Regional Chairman, Adams Mahama in 2015. This was after Otiko Djaba had accused him of receiving goats and cows from individuals with the promise of securing appointments in public office for them.

Both personalities however rendered unqualified apologies for their remarks. At a crunch meeting held at Alisa Hotel, Wednesday, the National Council resolved that although both have apologized for their despicable behavior, it should be in a written form.

According to a statement issued by John Boadu, Acting General Secretary of the party, what ensued between the two bigwigs of the party was unhealthy.

“The meeting expressed strong disapproval and regret against the actions and utterances of the minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection and the Northern Regional Chairman. Even though the two apologized profusely, the meeting severely reprimanded them and bonded them to be of good behaviour. They were also asked to put their apologies into written statements,” the statement said.

Meanwhile, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) is calling for police investigations of the murder claim made by Bugri Naabu.

Member of NDC legal team, Victor Adawudu said on Joy FM’s Top Story, Wednesday, that the murder of Adams Mahama remains a national issue and any information from anyone should not be treated lightly.

The apology follows a directive from the party’s National Council for the two politicians to apologise in writing and promise not to repeat same.

In a letter dated 11 May, Mr Naabu said “I’m by this letter expressing my profound apology to the entire New Patriotic Party fraternity, the former president, the current vice president, the president and the good people of Ghana over the unfortunate exchange of words between my good self and Otiko Afisa Djaba.

“I repeat unreservedly that, such conduct would never be repeated. It is my sincere prayer that, I would never repeat such a conduct again.

“It was due to extreme anger and provocation that I uttered those words as I do not have any proof or evidence to support those allegations.

“I very much regret for the embarrassment and inconvenience caused to the leadership of the party and the country as whole. Hope this apology would be accepted by all and sundry.”

Mr Naabu and Ms Djaba’s fight began when the Chairman violently disrupted a meeting between the Minister and women’s group in the Northern Region because he was not informed of the gathering.

Ms Djaba in response accused Mr Naabu of taking cows and goats as bribe to offer people jobs. Mr Naabu replied by accusing Otiko of being a controversial person in the party and having a hand in the death of the late Upper East regional chairman of the party, Adams Mahama.

Simak Shirac, the special assistant to Bugri Naabu, alleged that the journalist in question carried out a secret recording of the Northern Region NPP Chairman leading to the compromising allegations making rounds in public.

Bugri Naabu was threatened with a lawsuit for the claims, but has since apologized to the Upper East Regional Minister.

Speaking on Eyewitness News, he said, “I am telling you on authority that what is circulating in the media was never part of the interview Bugri Naabu granted and Bugri Naabu said so during the interview. I was there when the interview was granted.”

According to Mr. Shirac, concerns were raised after the official interview as to whether the journalist was still recording them off record. He said the journalist gave assurances that “even if my recorder captures what you guys are discussing, I will delete or edit it.”

“But to our surprise, what he said he was going to delete or edit was in the public domain,” Mr. Shirac added.

Journalist fires back – Shirac was not even present

Speaking on Eyewitness News later on however, the journalist who interviewed Bugri Naabu, Isaac Nognya, took offence to the claims and questioned why Mr. Shirac was even speaking to the matters when he [Shirac] was not in the vicinity of the interview.

“I am a very professional journalist and I have discharged my duties professionally over the years and the said gentleman [Simak Shirac] was not in the said meeting,” Isaac Nognya asserted.

The interview stemmed for the Northern Region NPP a fracas between the Minister for Gender, Women and Children Affairs, Otiko Djaba and Bugri Naabu, which saw damning allegations thrown either way, including the claims that Otiko and Rockson Bukari were “deeply involved” in the murder of the former NPP Upper East Regional Chairman.

Isaac Nognya indicated that, he may have some more indicting sound bites as he said to the Eyewitness News host, Umaru Sanda.

“If he[Simak Shirac] dares me, I will release the raw tape to you and you will listen to the one-one interview.”

“I said, look, the person who granted me the interview has no problem with the soundbite so you a second party should not say I shouldn’t have sent that voice recording.”

The feud between the Gender and Social Protection Minister, Otiko Adisa Djaba and the Northern Regional Chairman of the party, Daniel Bugri Naabu started at the weekend when the latter allegedly disrupted a meeting being chaired by the former. Angered by the action, Ms Djaba accused Mr Naabu of taking bribe in the form of goats and cows to offer jobs.

There have since been back and forth accusation and counter-accusation by the two outspoken executive members of the party, something that has received condemnation by many Ghanaians including those within the party.

Ms Otiko Djaba on Tuesday apologised to the President and Ghanaians for her actions which she felt were unfortunate but her apology was not extended to Mr Bugri Naabu.

Bugri Naabu who in the course of his disagreement with the minister accused the Upper East Regional Minister of being complicit in the murder of Adams Mahama in 2015, was forced to apologise for that allegation which he said he had no fact whatsoever to substantiate.

But commenting on the matter, Mr Obiri Boahen said the apology by the two does not end the matter considering that their actions and inactions have affected the NPP and Ghanaians.

“The NPP constitution does not allow one person to take a decision on the matter.

The National Executive Committee (NEC) and the National Council of Elders (NCE) will meet to discuss the issue and take a decision” Mr Obiri Boahen said on Ghana Dadwene on Onua FM Wednesday.

“These bodies will take a firm decision on the issue. But it doesn’t lie in the hands of one person to decide on the issue”, explained, adding “whatever the two bodies will say binds everybody and it is good they have apologized”

Bugri Naabu has implicated the Hon. Rockson Bukari in the death of Adams Mahama and further accused the Gender Minister, Otiko Djaba, of complicitity in the scheme.

Addressing the issue on Peace FM’s ‘Kokrokoo’, Kweku Baako labeled Bugri Naabu’s claims as “nonsense” and “bogus”.

According to him, it is “bogus and fraudulent” and charged the security agencies to probe him further, stating emphatically that Bugri Naabu was making empty talks.

He stated that the conduct of the NPP Northern Regional Chairman is bringing the government into disrepute and it’s prudent for the party to sanction him.

Mr. Baako also found it ridiculous that the Regional Chairman of the ruling party kept silent on the matter till date if he indeed had any evidence to corroborate his claims.

He added that Bugri Naabu must be compelled to back up his claims with concrete evidence.

He further stressed that he strongly believes the allegations are not true and that the “best way to demolish this nonsense is to invite the man to bring the evidence”.

The National Youth Organiser, Sammi Awuku, who revealed this on the Point Blank segment of Eyewitness News said the party is expected to take a firm decision on the development today [Wednesday].

“The party is angry about this development. We find this very disheartening, especially at a time when the President had been touring West African countries promoting free border trade, holding bilateral talks and chalking tremendous success in some of these areas. The party will take a very serious stance on the issue.

“If you are a senior member of the party, both serving in government and serving in the party hierarchy and you think opening your mouth will not promote this government and the President then do not open your mouth.”

Mr. Awuku said the NPP cannot take such a development lightly, especially because it “came from a very terrible situation to win elections.”

The Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Otiko Afisa Djaba in a media engagement last week, accused the NPP Northern Regional Chairman, Bugri Naabu, of receiving goats and cows from individuals with the promise of securing appointments in public office for them.

This was after Mr. Bugri Naabu disrupted a meeting  between the Minister and some women in the Northern Region, over allegations that the Minister was ganging up against some of the President’s MMDCE nominees. The Northern Regional Chairman also accused Otiko of disrespect for holding a meeting in the region without his knowledge.

Mr. Naabu in a subsequent media interview caused a stir when he reportedly suggested that Otiko Djaba and the current Upper East Regional Minister, were involved in the murder of the former NPP Upper East Regional Chairman, Adams Mahama.

The National Council of the NPP is expected to hold a crucial meeting today [Wednesday] over the row between the two.

A Deputy General Secretary of the NPP, Nana Obiri Boahen,  explained to Citi News that “it has been decided that the party will be meeting to discuss that particular issue because it is very much important and particular to us. At 7:00 pm we are meeting”.

The two have been bickering in the past few days, exchanging abusive words on various media platforms in what many have described as a serious blot on the government’s image.

The Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Otiko Afisa Djaba in a media engagement last week, accused the NPP Northern Regional Chairman, Bugri Naabu, of receiving goats and cows among other forms of inducement from individuals, with the promise of securing appointments in public office for them.

This was after Mr. Bugri Naabu had disrupted a meeting between the Minister and some women in the Northern Region, over allegations that the Minister was ganging up against some of the President’s MMDCE nominees.

The Northern Regional Chairman also accused Otiko of disrespect for holding a meeting in the region without his knowledge.

Mr. Naabu in a subsequent media interview caused a stir when he reportedly suggested that Otiko Djaba and the current Upper East Regional Minister, were involved in the murder of the former NPP Upper East Regional Chairman, Adams Mahama.

A Deputy General Secretary of the NPP, Nana Obiri Boahen, told Citi News the development was “unfortunate.”

He said, “it has been decided that the party will be meeting to discuss that particular issue because it is very much important and particular to us.” The meeting was further confirmed on the Point Blank segment of Eyewitness News on Tuesday by National Youth Organizer of the party, Sammy Awuku.

We’ll take serious action against Otiko, Bugri Naabu – Sammy Awuku

According to Mr. Awuku, the New Patriotic Party is outraged by the fracas, and will thus take a firm decision on the development.

“The party is angry about this development. We find this very disheartening, especially at a time when the President had been touring West African countries promoting free border trade, holding bilateral talks and chalking tremendous success in some of these areas. The party will take a very serious stance on the issue.

“If you are a senior member of the party, both serving in government and serving in the party hierarchy and you think opening your mouth will not promote this government and the President then do not open your mouth.”

The National Council is the second highest decision-making body in the party after Congress.

The Chairman, Bugri Naabu had earlier accused the regional minister and his colleague in the Akufo-Addo government of being involved in the plot that led to the murder of Adams Mahama, the late NPP’s Upper East regional chairman.

“You’ll be surprised that some of these people who masterminded the killing of Adams have come to take positions in the government…like the Upper East Regional Minister. He was deeply involved in masterminded the killing of Adams,” Mr. Naabu told Radio XYZ.

Prior to 2016 December polls, the NPP presented documents which the party said proved that Ibrahim Mahama, the former president Mahama’s brother, gave Bugri Naabu GHC500,000 cash and a brand new Mitsubishi V6 vehicle to portray Akufo-Addo as someone who hates Northerners.

Mustapha Hamid, the spokesperson to Nana Akufo-Addo, who addressed the press conference, said President Mahama and his team had “not relented in their evil ways and means to use our own people to work against the NPP”.

He maintained Ibrahim Mahama and one Mohammed Awal met Bugri Naabu on Friday, November 25, and offered to pay him GHC3.3 million if he could paint Akufo-Addo “as a rabid anti-northern person who could never be trusted to advance the people of the north.

But it is with this that Mr Asiedu Nketia said, If Bugri Naabu was authentic to claim ex-President Mahama dashed him a V8 Vehicle with a huge sum of money, then likewise he is credible enough to accuse his own party of killing their late Upper East regional chairman.

“If Bugri Naabu was credible enough to claim Mahama dashed him a V8 Vehicle together with a huge sum of money, deposited into his account, then that same man is credible enough to accuse his own party of killing their chairman…”

When asked by the host on Okay FM if he would believe anger led to the venting of Bugri Naabu hence the public should be swayed from considering the matter, he stated only true anger can cause one to override inhibitions.

He further disclosed that, if Mustapha Hamid, the spoke person of President Akufo-Addo supported Naabu then it increases the credibility to believe the ‘truthful’ words of Bugri Naabu.

“It is anger that leads you to override your inhibitions. Mustapha Hamid is the spoke person of the president and if he stated Bugri Naabu was truthful to the Mahama brouhaha then it means the matter of killing their party chairman is true…”

According to Mr Nketia, “Anger doesn’t provoke lies. It lowers inhibitions…just like alcohol; anger clears away shyness to allow the truth to prevail. Bugri Naabu isn’t telling lies…” General Mosquito maintained.

Click on attached audio for more

The maverick Chairman has accused the regional minister and his colleague in the Akufo-Addo government of being involved in the plot that led to the murder of Adams Mahama, the late NPP’s Upper East regional chairman.

“You’ll be surprised that some of these people who masterminded the killing of Adams have come to take positions in the government…like the Upper East Regional Minister. He was deeply involved in the masterminded killing of Adams,” Mr. Naabu told Radio XYZ.

Meanwhile, Gregory Afoko, brother of the suspended national chairman of the NPP, Paul Afoko, is facing charges in court over his alleged role in the murder of Mr. Mahama in May 2015.

But Hon. Rockson Bukari in an interview with Kasapa FM‘s Akwasi Nsiah denied the allegation and urged the public to treat the claims with the contempt that it deserves.

He said he has instructed his counsel, Lawyer Sampson Laadi Anyenini to prepare the case and proceed to the law court in order to clear his name and protect his hard earned reputation.

Instead, they want him to channel all his resources to ensure that more Konkombas are appointed in the already “elephantized” Nana Addo’s government to help bring the much-needed development to his people.

Naabu, whom they consider to be a very influential Konkomba has been accused by the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Madam Otiko Afisa Djaba, for taking goats, cows, sheep and money as bribe from unsuspecting NPP followers in exchange for MMDCE, DCE and other positions in the Northern Region.

The Northern Regional Chairman of the NPP has not denied the act.

“What is wrong with receiving gifts from people you’ve supported to achieve their aim and is Bugri the only person in the NPP who received goats and sheep as show of appreciation for services rendered?”, he noted in a post which is widely circulating on social media.

He added “I don’t regret receiving those items at all. I received those items from NPP people, not opponents as she does.”

Naabu in a sharp rebuttal also accused Otiko Djaba who is also National Women’s Organizer of the NPP for “selling NPP internal information to our opponents [NDC] for stipends.”

The two, have since last Friday, May 5, 2017, been on each other’s throat, accusing one another over wrongful acts in the party.

It all started when the outspoken Northern Regional Chairman of the NPP, Friday, lost his temper and disrupted a meeting that was underway led by the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection Otiko Afisa Djaba.

The controversial chairman in the company of some unruly women affiliated to the NPP stormed the meeting vandalizing properties in protest to what he described as the Minister’s disregard for his high office claiming she did not seek his consent before convening her meeting.

However, the Konkomba Youth for NDC considers the action of Bugri Naabu as shameful and a deliberate attack on law and order as well as womanhood.

In a statement issued on Monday, May 8, 2017, the Konkomba youth wants their elder man to end his attacks on the Gender, Children and Social Protection and rather concentrate all his attention in helping his people to develop.

Below is the full statement

STOP DISGRACING US: KONKOMBA YOUTH TO CHAIRMAN BUGRI NAABU

Friends of the Press, ladies and Gentlemen greetings. After the successful deception and incitement of the Konkomba fraternity in Ghana against former President John Dramani Mahama and the National Democratic Congress inuring to the New Patriotic Party’s victory in the 2016 general elections, the Konkomba Youth for NDCs attention has been drawn to yet another scathing attack on the Gender and Children’s Affairs Minister, Ms Otiko Afisa Djaba on Friday 5th May 2017 in Tamale by the same Northern Regional Chairman Mr. Daniel Bugri Naabu on a purported school feeding appointment.

The character and posture of chairman Daniel Bugri Naabu was not just unfortunate but shameful and a deliberate attack on law and order as well as womanhood to say the least.

In the said encounter, the Gender minister accused Mr. Daniel Bugri Naabu of engaging in goat, cow and paltry sums trade in exchange of MMDCEs and DCEs nominations.

We, the Konkomba Youth for NDC tend to believe the controversial minister considering the unprecedented violent protestations in the region compared to other regions.

Secondly, the Minister’s assertion indicates and proves that the allegation on the former President John Dramani Mahama and his brother Ibrahim Mahama attempt to bribe the Northern regional Chairman with cash, vehicles and contracts in opposition in the run up to 2016 elections was staged and a palpable falsehood that should be disregarded by any discerning citizen on the premise that if Mr. Bugri Naabu is accepting such paltry gifts as a chairman in power, then he would have swallowed the unfounded juicy package of the former President hook, line and sinker if indeed true.

We therefore entreat Mr. Bugri Naabu to stop trading his integrity and work hard to ensure the inclusion of Konkombas in the elephantized Nana Addo’s government to help bring the much needed development to his people.

Ladies and Gentlemen we also want to crave the indulgence of the teeming Konkomba Youth to continue to uphold their commitment and loyalty to the National Democratic Congress as a measure of hope since one of own Bugri Naabu has disappointed us and shattered our confidence in the Nana Addo government.

Long live Kikpakpaang!

Long Live NDC!!

Long Live Ghana!!!

Eye zu !! Eye za!!!

National Organiser of the NPP, John Boadu says when Otiko Afisa Djaba formally notifies the party hierarchy, about the alleged misconduct of the Regional Chairman they will also get his for his side of the story.

A meeting called by Ms. Djaba in Tamale was disrupted by Mr. Bugri Naabu who accused the minister of trying to instigate confusion over the appointment of a Coordinator of School Feeding Programme.

The Minister in an interview after the meeting with Women Organisers in the Region also accused Mr. Bugri Naabu of collecting money, goats, cows and other things from people with the assurance of jobs with the National School Feeding Programme.

Meanwhile, Deputy Women’s Organiser who accompanied the Gender Minister on her trip, Madam Dinah Karikari explains to Adom News, they will formally seek redress from the Party Hierachy when they arrive in Accra.

Click on attached audio for more

Bugri Naabu on Friday led a group of angry women to disrupt a meeting organized by the Gender Minister, Otiko Djaba.

According to him, the meeting was illegal and that, the Minister failed to inform him and other regional executives. The president he fumed cannot come to the region without informing the executives.

The Minister according to reports organized the meeting to introduce to the crowd, the new coordinator for the school feeding programme in the region.

“Even the President cannot come to the region without informing the regional chairman and his executives for his intention of coming to the region,” he said.

The Minister sensing danger, called armed policemen and personnel from the military to maintain law and order.

The Madam Otiko Djaba after the incident is reported to have accused the NPP Chairman of receiving bribes from persons in the region in return for positions and therefore saw her presence in the area as a threat to his underhand dealings.

But she advised him to return bribes in the form of goats, cows and sheep he received from such persons as well as cautioned him against making promises to people especially party people he knows very well he has not got the capacity to meet when the president is the sole appointing authority.

“Bugri Naabu should stop promising people positions he cannot offer. He should better return their cows, goats and monies he took from them. If Bugri Naabu wants my trouble, then trouble he will give him one”, she said.

In support, the Tamale Central Women Organiser of NPP, Hajia Suraya warned Bugri Naabu to stop troubling the minister accusing him (Bugri) of using her (Otiko) as a cover up for his problems.

“Bugri Naabu doesn’t respect women at all and only using our mother to cover up his problems. Chairman Bugri Naabu’s house is now turned into Abattoir, he keeps taking the goats, sheep and monies before someone can be appointed as MCE or DCE. He should immediately apologise to her else we will make sure he is sacked as the chairman in the region” she warned on Accra-based Neat FM.

According to her, the meeting by the Gender Minister in the region was only for the minister to thank her women for working very hard to achieve a resounding victory and moreover to assure them of her commitment to see to the welfare of the women.

Hajia Suraya, however, denied the purported lies in the news by the regional chairman that the minister came to introduce school feeding coordinators to them.

Listen to Hajia Suraya

Mr Naabu and a horde of angry NPP women stormed the meeting and scuttled it in protest to Ms Djaba’s failure to have informed the regional executives of the party about the meeting.

Mr Naabu also suspected Ms Djaba of scheming to scuttle the nomination of the President’s nominee to head the School Feeding Programme in the region.

He described the meeting as “illegal” and “unconstitutional”, saying even President Nana Akufo-Addo would not venture into the region to hold such a meeting without informing the regional executives.

The Gender Minister ostensibly accused Bugri Naabu of handing out government jobs in exchange for items of seeming value, like cows and goats.

Madam Otiko, in a tirade during an interview on North Star FM in Tamale, even intimated that, Bugri Naabu had a hand in who was selected the Council of State representative from the Northern Region.

This outburst followed the first flare-up of these intra-party tensions at the Modern City hotel in Tamale on Friday, where Bugri Naabu stormed and disrupted a meeting organised by Madam Otiko for some women.

According to Citi News reports, it took the intervention of police to prevent a possible clash between two opposing forces from Bugri Naabu’s camp, and the NPP’s women’s wing in the region, who are at odds over the regional Coordinator slot for the School Feeding Programme.

Madam Otiko insisted that, she had no involvement in School feeding matters, and explained that she was visiting the women in the region as a courtesy and to address some health concerns after seeing to government matters in the Upper East Region.

But she said Bugri Naabu “came there to throw his weight around saying we are doing school feeding matters, but we didn’t come there because of school feeding matters… Apparently, he has decided that he is in charge of everything and that he is going to give the school feeding to a particular woman. I don’t know how a regional chairman can do that and because he has promised it is going to that woman, he thinks I will come in and [interfere].”

“As we speak, nobody has been appointed for school feeding as the contracts of the persons currently employed were yet to end,” Madam Otiko insisted. The allegations also extended to the tensions in Savelugu where NPP youth are demonstrating against President Nana Akufo-Addo’s choice of District Chief Executive.

“He [Bugri Naabu] is also trying to cover up issues concerning the DCEs. I have nothing to do with DCEs. I am in Tamale. I never went to Savelugu; but he claims that I went to disrupt Savelugu DCE confirmation meanwhile they are not even doing confirmation in Savelugu today [Friday].

Bugri Naabu should respect himself

As the interview progressed, Madam Otiko grew more incensed with the turn of events as she offered stern warnings, spiced with more allegations towards the NPP Northern Regional Chairman.

“I don’t know why Chairman Bugri wants to lie and use me as a cover-up for his problems. I want Chairman Bugri to understand. Whatever it is that is making him do the things he is doing; he should be very careful. I am the last person he wants to have trouble with.”

“…He should respect himself and stop lying about me. He cannot appoint school feeding people. He is not the only one in the region. He wants to be the one to appoint these people; for the Council of Elders and who and who.”

Sh further cheekily challenged the Regional Chairman to return all the gifts he had collected from people with the promise of various positions.

“I want him to stop telling lies about me and to stop collecting people’s things and promising them jobs he cannot give. When he goes and does that, after he has collected their money and their cows and goats, then he will come and put the trouble on Otiko. Otiko will not accept it. If Bugri wants trouble from me then the trouble will come.”

The two leading members of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) are at each other’s throat accusing each other of disrespect.

An incensed Naabu led a team of raucous women to vandalise properties at a venue being used by the Gender Minister for a meeting on Friday in Tamale.

He alleged the minister failed to inform him of her presence in the region, amounting to disrespect hence his action. He also claimed the minister was in the region to give certain appointments to some people against his choice.

The development has not gone down well with Ms. Djaba who is accusing her regional chairman of taking bribes from people under the guise of giving them appointments.

“I don’t know why Chairman Bugri wants to lie and use me as a cover-up for his problems. I want Chairman Bugri to understand. Whatever it is that is making him do the things he is doing; he should be very careful. I am the last person he wants to have trouble with,” Ms. Djaba, who doubles as the national women organiser of the NPP told North Star Radio.

She opined: “…He should respect himself and stop lying about me. He cannot appoint school feeding people. He is not the only one in the region. He wants to be the one to appoint these people; for the Council of Elders and who and who.

“I want him to stop telling lies about me and to stop collecting people’s things and promising them jobs he cannot give. When he goes and does that, after he has collected their money and their cows and goats, then he will come and put the trouble on Otiko. Otiko will not accept it. If Bugri wants trouble from me then the trouble will come.”

The NPP and the government are yet to officially comment on the incident.