The Acting National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Danquah Smith Butey, has broken his silence on recent media reports suggesting that Bono Regional Chairman of the party, Kwame Baffoe, popularly known as Abronye DC, disrespected former President John Agyekum Kufuor during a private party meeting.

Butey has dismissed the allegations as unfounded, insisting that the reports stemmed from a gross misunderstanding and misrepresentation of what actually transpired.

Speaking in an interview on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem programme, the Acting Chairman stated that there was no incident of disrespect or insult directed at the former President.

He explained that the issue in question occurred during a closed-door meeting where former President Kufuor offered advice and proposals to the party leadership on internal matters.

According to him, discussions that followed Kufuor’s remarks became unnecessarily heated but were quickly brought under control before any form of misconduct could escalate.

“It wasn’t true that Abronye disrespected former President Kufuor,” Butey clarified.

“What happened was a normal exchange of ideas that unfortunately got misinterpreted. The former President made valuable suggestions during the meeting, and some members, including Abronye, shared their views. It was an internal matter that should never have been discussed publicly.”

Butey further criticized Dr. Richard Anane, a close ally of the former President, for allegedly leaking details of the internal meeting to the media, describing the move as unfortunate and unnecessary.

“Dr. Anane should not have brought the matter out at all. If he had any concerns, he could have formally petitioned the party’s disciplinary committee. Besides, he wasn’t even present at the meeting, so it’s likely he acted on misinformation,” he remarked.

Providing a detailed account of the meeting, the Acting Chairman said after a few party members contributed to the discussion, he realized that the debate was straying from its original purpose.

He then intervened to restore decorum and assured President Kufuor that his advice had been received in good faith and would be deliberated upon internally.

Butey emphasized that although Abronye’s tone during the meeting might have been firm, it did not amount to disrespect or insult.

“Abronye made his points but remained respectful throughout. In fact, he consistently referred to President Kufuor as his in-law. I can say confidently that he never insulted him. I was there and would not have tolerated any form of disrespect toward the former President,” he stressed.

The Acting Chairman also cautioned members of the party and the public to desist from spreading falsehoods that could tarnish the image of the NPP or its revered figures.

“We must protect the dignity of our founding leaders. If Abronye had actually insulted Kufuor, the consequences would have been dire,” he warned.

The controversy began earlier this week when sections of the media reported that Abronye DC had allegedly spoken rudely to former President Kufuor during a high-level party meeting in Accra.

The alleged altercation sparked outrage among some NPP faithful, prompting calls for disciplinary action against the outspoken regional chairman. However, the Acting Chairman’s clarification appears to have brought calm to the matter.

Abronye, known for his outspoken nature and fiery defense of the NPP, has been at the center of several party-related controversies in recent months.

He was recently invited by the party’s disciplinary committee over alleged offensive comments made during the heat of internal debates. Nonetheless, he remains an influential grassroots mobilizer within the party’s Bono Region stronghold.