Rita Talata Asobayire, Second Vice Chairperson of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has categorically denied claims circulating on social media suggesting that she made disparaging remarks about the party’s General Secretary, Justin Kodua Frimpong, in a report by the Oquaye Committee.
She described the quote as fabricated and warned of legal action should the claims persist.
In a strongly worded statement, Asobayire clarified that she never made any submission to the Oquaye Committee and was not in the country at the time the committee interacted with the national executives of the party.
“I made no such statement anywhere. It is complete fabrication by whoever may have authored it for political mischief”
Rita Talata Asobayire, Second Vice Chairperson of the NPP
She noted that the quote, which has been attributed to page 66 of the yet-to-be-published Oquaye Committee Report, alleged that she described the NPP General Secretary as “an armchair leader, uninspiring and seemingly unable to keep appointees accountable.”
Asobayire stated this claim was entirely false, pointing out that she was not part of the Committee’s proceedings at any stage.
“I have NOT interacted with the Oquaye Committee and have NOT made any appearance before the Committee.
“I was actually NOT in the jurisdiction at the time the Committee met with the National Executives, and this fact was duly communicated to the Committee”
Rita Talata Asobayire, Second Vice Chairperson of the NPP
Legal Threats
The statement appearing on a news publication under the headline “Rift in NPP leadership: Oquaye Report Exposes Cracks as Vice Chairperson Slams General Secretary” alleged that Asobayire told the Committee the General Secretary’s inactions “contributed significantly to the party’s poor performance.”
Asobayire described the publication as “reprehensible” and demanded a public apology from the media outlet.
“I demand an immediate retraction and unqualified apology from the publishers. I have given express instructions to my lawyers to proceed to court to vindicate my rights in the event that my demands are not met”
Rita Talata Asobayire, Second Vice Chairperson of the NPP
She further warned all those publishing or sharing the content to desist immediately, adding that the NPP had not made any part of the Oquaye Committee’s Report public.
She asserted that activists of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) were leading the spread of false information, which she described as politically motivated.
Support for General Secretary
In what appeared to be a deliberate effort to counter the alleged statement, Asobayire went on to endorse the leadership of Justin Kodua Frimpong.
“For the avoidance of doubt, I wish to state emphatically that the General Secretary and I have had an excellent working relationship. His leadership style is marked by firmness and political astuteness”
Rita Talata Asobayire, Second Vice Chairperson of the NPP
Upon praising his performance and affirming the strength of their working relationship, she described the notion that she would pass such a verdict on the General Secretary as “inconceivable,” affirming that there has been no rift between the two leaders of the NPP.
Ghana’s political atmosphere continues to be marked by sharp partisanship and increasing concern over the weaponization of misinformation.
The emergence of alleged quotes from an unreleased party report, particularly ones aimed at internal NPP leadership, underscores the volatile and strategic nature of current political communications.
Asobayire’s statement, which is expected to be backed by legal proceedings if ignored, represents a growing trend of public officials pushing back forcefully against unverified or deliberately false media narratives, especially those circulating on digital platforms.
In a season of heightened political scrutiny, it is expected that both media responsibility and legal accountability will continue to play critical roles in Ghana’s democratic landscape.
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