The New Patriotic Party (NPP) is reportedly uniting all its forces and members, including deposed former Chairman of the party, Paul Afoko, in an effort for re-election after two terms in office.
The party’s National First-Vice Chairperson, Ekow Smith Buttey, has revealed that as part of the effort to “break the eight”, NPP will be re-uniting with all its members.
Mr. Afoko is currently a suspended member of the party after he together with his General Secretary, Kwabena Agyapong, were kicked out in 2015 over supposed anti-party behavior.
Even though the claim had been that Afoko, Agyepong and also a First Vice Chair, Sammy Crabbe had been working against the party, many believe their removal was a palace coup masterminded by candidate Nana Akufo-Addo who was witch-hunting party officials he believed were more sympathetic towards his arch-rival, Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, the current Trade Minister and one who has been tipped as the natural successor to Akufo-Addo after he serves his term in 2024.
Meanwhile, it is not immediately clear if Paul Afoko is interested in returning to the party. The man, who is the NPP’s first and only Chairman of Northern extraction has suffered and lost greatly as a result of the vicious internal politics that led to his removal shortly after his election.
In the melee leading to his suspension, his brother, Gregory Afoko was accused of murdering the then Upper East Regional Chairman of the NPP, Adam Mahama, through an acid attack.
Gregory and the Afoko family have insisted on his innocence.
Mr. Paul Afoko, an astute businessman, has since maintained a low profile and silence from active politics.
But now, the NPP says it needs everybody to help it break the eight and so Mr. Paul Afoko will be approached and asked back into the party. It is not clear what they will say to convince the quiet gentleman.