NPP yet to reach full potential – Paul Afoko

Former National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Paul Awentami Afoko, has said the party is yet to reach its full potential. He said the party is still undergoing a process of rebuilding and rebranding.

He emphasised that while the NPP has a strong foundation, more work is needed to consolidate its structures and restore internal unity.

Speaking on Starr FM on Thursday, September 4, 2025, Afoko reiterated that the NPP’s full potential remains untapped, contrasting the party with the National Democratic Congress (NDC), which he described as highly organised and militant during his years in frontline politics.

“The NPP as a party has not recognised its potential. It hasn’t achieved its potential. It’s still a party of working out and rebranding, rebuilding,” he stated.

Afoko further highlighted the challenges the NPP has faced since his removal from office, noting that internal divisions and the rise of vigilante groups have slowed the party’s ability to reach its full potential.

“After I had been thrown out by the court, we started developing Invisible Forces, Delta Forces, Bolgatanga Bulldogs, and we rather became militants,” he explained, stressing the need for disciplined structures and a focus on unity.

Reflecting on his controversial tenure, Afoko said that following his election as NPP National Chairman in April 2014, his suspension in 2015 over allegations of unilateral leadership set the stage for disputes that lingered for years.

While he welcomed the party’s 2025 amnesty for estranged members, he criticised the restriction barring them from contesting internal elections for two years. Afoko called on the NPP to honour its tradition of orderly renewal and ensure that rebuilding and rebranding lead to sustainable unity and progress.

He insisted that the NPP should complete its grassroots renewal before electing a presidential candidate if it hopes to maintain unity and discipline.

“I think the party is making a big mistake going for presidential primaries in January [2026]. Normally, this party goes through a renewal cycle every four years… that renewal starts from the polling stations all the way up. And after the national executive is in place, then you have a presidential primary,” Paul Afoko said. He stressed that his concerns were not about supporting any individual aspirant. “I don’t have a favourite when it comes to who I think should become the flagbearer of the NPP. I wish them well, but I don’t have a favourite.”