Council of Elders to settle PNC impasse • But chairman prefers court process

THE Council of Elders of the People’s National Convention (NPC) has stepped in to find an amicable solution to the impasse between the national executive and the Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the party.
However, the Chairman of the party, Alhaji Ahmed Ramadan, has indicated that “we are already in court and we would like to hear the arguments on February 10, 2011. Also, the court’s settlement will be lasting and binding”.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic, the Chairman of the Council of Elders, Mr Dan Yahaya, hinted that the alders had taken the issue up and were making frantic moves to secure a lasting solution to it.
Recently, a group within the PNC which calls itself Committed PNC members formed an IMC to take over the administration of the party, citing the unconstitutionality of the elections that brought about the current executive and the 2008 presidential candidate of the party, Dr Edward Mahama, as one of the reasons.
In its bid to ward of the national executive from the party, the group changed the locks to the party’ headquarters at Abavana Junction in Accra, replaced them with new ones and prevented the elected executive access to the offices.
The IMC also challenged the eligibility of the Dr Mahama-led administration to hold brief for the party as national executive.
The case was reported to the police, resulting in the arrest and subsequent granting of bail to three members of the IMC by an Accra District Magistrate Court.
They are Dr Sontim Tobiga, Ahmed Gadu and Baaba Ghana Seidu. The next adjourned date for the case is February 10, 2011.
According to the chairman of the Council of Elders, as elders of the party, it was their responsibility to bring all factions together and find an amicable solution to their differences to enable the party to prepare adequately for the activities leading to the 2012 elections.
He explained that the elders would be meeting this week as part of the moves to settle the problems but could not state whether the elders would take over the party till congress, as was being speculated.
Explaining further, Alhaji Ramadan said the PNC constitution did not have room for such ambiguous bodies such as the IMC.
He described the actions of the IMC as not only illegal but also disruptive to the smooth running of the party, especially towards the organisation of activities leading to its congress this year.
Over the last two weeks, some regional executive of the PNC have issued disclaimers regarding the IMC and cautioning party members, as well as the general public, not to deal with it.