Former New Patriotic Party (NPP) National Chairman, Paul Afoko, has stressed the need for unity within the party, warning that without it, the NPP cannot return to power in the 2028 general elections.

Afoko made the remarks during his engagement with NPP Regional Executives in Greater Accra on Thursday, May 21, 2026, as he continues consultations ahead of his expected bid to return to active leadership in the party.

“No one person can ever claim to be the person who has the magic wand to do anything for our party to bring victory. We have to work collectively to get there,” he said.

The former chairman admitted that at his age, he could easily choose to retire, but has instead embarked on what he described as a “mission” to help rebuild and reposition the party.

“But we need to work together, we need to come together, just as I did with the NPP in 2014… This time it is the 3Rs,” he stated.

Afoko outlined his 3Rs agenda as Reunite, Rebuild, and Recapture.

On the first R, he said: “We reunite, because for a long time we’ve gone around saying, this man is not with us, this man was in that camp… We are NPP. And if we don’t unite, we won’t see power.”

He attributed the party’s recent electoral challenges to deep divisions, which led to voter apathy and loss of support.

“Because of the divisions that happened, we started to whittle our votes, till we got to where we are today. The apathy that we suffered in the last elections, the number of members of NPP who just abstained, who won’t go to vote, and those, I dare say, without evidence, who actually went and voted for the umbrella, because they were dissatisfied,” Afoko said.

Afoko also acknowledged that some members have completely broken away from the party, noting that he had tried to dissuade them.

“There are some who have broken away completely. In my own small way, I have tried to talk to them… But in our party, you can’t force anybody. You can only try to convince them. So we need to reunite. That’s the first R,” he noted.

On the second R, Rebuild, he called for a return to the basics, stressing the importance of strengthening the party at the polling station level.

He recounted how, during his time as chairman, he insisted every polling station and constituency open a bank account, a move that was initially resisted but later embraced when funds started flowing in.

“And then we recapture. We will have to recapture power. We cannot afford to stay in opposition for long, because without power, we cannot put our ideas into effect. What we as a party stand for. And we believe what we stand for is good for the country,” he said.

Without unity, we can’t win power - Paul Afoko rallies NPP ahead of return bid



NA/VPO