Suspended NPP Executives: ‘Let’s show mercy, sanctions are too harsh’ – Filson Awankua

An aspiring Upper East Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Ing. Filson Apambila Awankua, has appealed to the party’s leadership to temper justice with mercy in the case of 16 party members recently sanctioned for misconduct during the 2024 general elections.

Describing the sanctions as excessive and untimely, Awankua warned that the action could further damage party cohesion in a region where the NPP is already facing serious political setbacks.

“This is a party already limping in this region. We have no parliamentary seat at all. What we need right now is reconciliation, not retribution,” he said on the Big Mike Breakfast Show on Tuesday, August 5. “I’m appealing to my brother, Lawyer Tony, and the team implementing the Disciplinary Committee’s recommendations—let’s show mercy. The sanctions are too harsh.”

The 16 affected individuals, mainly from the Pusiga and Tempane constituencies, were cited for engaging in anti-party activities during the last election cycle. The Regional Disciplinary Committee investigated the cases and recommended sanctions, which were subsequently endorsed by the NPP Regional Executive Committee.

However, the decision has sparked debate within party circles, with many warning that it may do more harm than good, especially as the NPP prepares to reorganize ahead of the 2028 elections.

Awankua, who is campaigning on a platform of unity, healing, and grassroots empowerment, argued that punishing members at a time of political weakness could push the party further into fragmentation.

“The number one problem the NPP faces in the Upper East is disunity. There are too many factions and divided interests. But the solution is not to expel or suspend people—it is to manage these differences with maturity,” he said.

He also believes that the sanctioned individuals, if properly engaged, could be reoriented to contribute meaningfully to party work on the ground.

“These are people with some level of influence. Why not call them in, talk, and get them back on board? If we handle it well, it can even work in our favour,” Awankua noted.

He maintained that reconciliation and strategic unity would serve the party far better than a wave of suspensions.

“As a party in opposition, we should be building bridges, not burning them. There is still time to turn things around, but only if we choose peace over punishment.”

In the Upper East Region, the NPP failed to win a single seat in the last parliamentary elections, further deepening concerns about the party’s disconnect from the base.

As regional leadership contests heat up, Awankua is positioning himself as the candidate capable of restoring unity, rebuilding trust, and reviving the NPP’s fortunes in the region.