BY Issah Olegor
Former National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Paul Awentami Afoko, has intensified his nationwide campaign to rebuild and reposition the opposition party, urging members to abandon past grievances and unite behind a common vision aimed at returning the NPP to power in the 2028 general elections.
Speaking during a series of consultative meetings with Regional Executives, Councils of Elders, Patrons, and grassroots members in the Western North, Ahafo, Bono and Bono East Regions, Afoko stressed that the party’s future success depends on its ability to overcome internal divisions and focus on rebuilding its structures from the grassroots level.
The former National Chairman used the engagements to advance his recently unveiled “3R Agenda” — Reuniting, Rebuilding and Recapturing power — which he says offers a roadmap for restoring the NPP’s electoral fortunes following its defeat in the 2024 general elections.
According to Afoko, the NPP risks missing future opportunities if members continue to dwell on past disagreements, internal conflicts and political rivalries that have characterized sections of the party in recent years.
“We must build bridges to the future, not the past,” he told party faithful. “If we keep looking backwards, we will miss the opportunities in front of us. The youth in this party and a great number of us don’t want stories about who offended whom in the past or during 2024. They want the party they believed in back in power.”
His comments come at a time when the NPP is undertaking introspection following its loss of power after serving two terms under former President Nana Akufo-Addo. Since the party’s electoral setback, several leading figures have called for unity and reconciliation as the party prepares for the next political cycle.
Afoko noted that one of the biggest challenges confronting the NPP is the tendency of some members to remain focused on old disputes rather than addressing the issues necessary to reconnect with the Ghanaian electorate.
He therefore urged party members at all levels to avoid rhetoric, actions and strategies that could reignite old tensions and further deepen divisions within the party.
The former National Chairman emphasized that the NPP’s immediate priority should be strengthening its grassroots structures, expanding youth participation and rebuilding public confidence in the party’s vision and leadership.
“For years I chose to work quietly behind the scenes, supporting the NPP in private,” Afoko stated. “But recent developments have compelled me to step forward. We need to get our party back into winning ways, and that starts with unity of purpose.”
Throughout the engagements, Afoko framed the current period as a defining moment for the NPP, arguing that the party must decide whether to remain trapped in cycles of blame and internal conflict or embrace a new culture of inclusion, reconciliation and collective progress.
He expressed optimism that party members across all factions would eventually rally behind a common objective of rebuilding the NPP and preparing it for victory in the next election.
Afoko also reiterated his support for efforts aimed at positioning former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia as a strong contender for the presidency in 2028, insisting that the party’s success would depend largely on its ability to unite behind a shared vision.
“The future will not wait for us to finish fighting the past,” he said. “Let’s build the bridges now.”
The regional tour forms part of a broader nationwide outreach programme being undertaken by Afoko to reconnect with party members, gather views from the grassroots and promote his message of unity, development and inclusion.
