By Issah Olegor
Former National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) who is staging a comeback for the same position, Paul Awentami Afoko, has declared that the party remains well-positioned to return to power in the 2028 general elections, insisting that a united NPP can pave the way for Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia to become the next President.
Addressing party faithful, executives, elders and grassroots supporters during a tour of the Volta, Oti and Central Regions, Afoko said his decision to return to frontline politics and seek the chairmanship of the party was motivated by a singular objective: rebuilding the NPP, restoring unity and leading the party back to government.
According to him, his re-entry into active party politics is not driven by personal ambition or a desire for political office but by what he described as a duty to help rescue the party from its current challenges and position it for victory in the next election.
“I didn’t leave my retirement to come in for any reason other than power. Power is all we want, so that we can use power to develop our country according to the way we see it,” Afoko told party members.
The former chairman stressed that the NPP’s political tradition remains the most credible vehicle for national development, arguing that the party’s philosophy has historically delivered transformative policies and economic progress whenever entrusted with political power.
However, he warned that the party’s recent electoral setbacks should serve as a serious wake-up call for members at all levels, particularly senior figures who have dedicated decades of their lives to building the NPP into a dominant political force.
Afoko expressed concern over what he described as the party’s declining political fortunes, pointing specifically to the sharp reduction in its parliamentary representation following the 2024 general elections.
According to him, the NPP’s representation in Parliament has dropped significantly from 169 seats to 87 seats, a development he believes reflects deeper internal challenges that require urgent attention.
“If we sit back, especially you, the elders, if you sit back and fold your hands and watch it, the party that you have toiled for from your youth is on a trajectory downwards,” he cautioned.
He argued that the dramatic decline in parliamentary numbers should not be viewed as a temporary setback but rather as a signal that the party must undertake serious reforms if it hopes to regain the confidence of Ghanaians.
“We are now at 87 from 169. We all must stand up and say this party must turn the corner and go up,” he said.
At the heart of Afoko’s campaign for the national chairmanship is what he calls the “3Rs Agenda” — Reunite, Rebuild and Recapture Power.
According to him, the first and most critical task confronting the NPP is the restoration of unity within the party. He noted that factionalism, mistrust and internal divisions have weakened the party’s ability to effectively mobilize supporters and project a united front to the electorate.
He therefore called on party members, executives, elders and supporters to put aside personal grievances, political rivalries and historical differences in the interest of the larger goal of reclaiming power.
Afoko believes that once unity is restored, the next step would be rebuilding the party’s grassroots structures across the country.
He emphasized the need to strengthen polling station organizations, constituency structures and regional networks to reconnect with ordinary party supporters and voters.
According to him, empowering the grassroots remains essential to rebuilding public confidence and preparing the party for future electoral contests.
The final phase of his strategy, he explained, is the recapture of political power in 2028 through a disciplined, united and well-organized campaign machinery.
Central to that vision is Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, whom Afoko described as a formidable political figure capable of leading the NPP back to government.
He expressed confidence that with unity, effective organization and strong grassroots mobilization, the NPP would be able to market Dr. Bawumia effectively and secure victory in the next presidential election.
