Paul Afoko Files NPP Chairmanship Nomination, Pledges to Reunite Party

Paul Afoko files his nomination to contest the NPP National Chairmanship.

Former New Patriotic Party (NPP) National Chairman Paul Awentami Afoko has officially filed his nomination to contest the party’s National Chairmanship position, bringing his bid into the next stage of the NPP’s 2026 national officers election.

Afoko submitted his completed nomination forms at the party’s headquarters in Accra on Tuesday, August 25, as the NPP prepares to elect a new team of national executives.

But for Afoko, the contest is about more than securing the chairmanship.

His message is centred on a party he says must rebuild trust, strengthen its grassroots structures and put its internal differences behind it if it wants to mount a serious challenge in the 2028 general election.

Afoko's Message: Reunite, Reorganise, Recapture

After filing his nomination, Afoko presented three words as the foundation of his campaign:

Reunite. Reorganise. Recapture.

The former chairman said the NPP must stop allowing past internal contests to define relationships among its members.

His argument is straightforward: supporters of different candidates should not be treated as separate groups once an internal election is over.

Afoko says the party needs an organisation where every member feels they have a place and a role to play.

That emphasis on reconciliation is likely to be one of the defining features of his campaign as he seeks to return to the position he previously occupied.

Grassroots First

Afoko is also placing considerable emphasis on the party’s grassroots organisation.

He has spoken about strengthening polling station structures and empowering constituencies, while also improving the party's communications machinery.

Women and young people, he says, must have a stronger role in the organisation.

The former chairman argues that the NPP's preparations for the 2028 election cannot be postponed until the election year.

For him, rebuilding the party has to start now.

He has also indicated that the party's headquarters should be more responsive to ordinary members and grassroots activists rather than becoming relevant only when elections approach.

Also Read: NPP Regional Elections 2026: Latest Winners and Results Across Ghana

The ongoing regional elections have already provided an early picture of the organisational changes taking place within the party, with results emerging across the country.

A Promise to Work With Bawumia

Afoko has made it clear that he intends to work with Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, the NPP's presidential candidate for the 2028 election, if delegates elect him National Chairman.

He says the two roles should complement each other.

While the presidential candidate would lead the party's national electoral campaign, Afoko argues that the National Chairman must ensure that the organisational structures required to turn the campaign into votes are in place.

He has therefore pledged to work closely with Bawumia in the party's attempt to return to government.

That commitment could become an important part of the chairmanship debate as delegates assess the kind of leadership the NPP needs ahead of 2028.

Afoko Rejects the Geographical Argument

The former chairman has also pushed back against attempts to make geographical background a major consideration in the contest.

He says delegates should judge the aspirants on qualities such as competence, integrity, experience and temperament, rather than where they come from.

For Afoko, the chairmanship is a national position and should be treated as such.

The argument comes amid broader conversations within the party about regional representation and the balance between the party's national leadership and its presidential ticket.

No “Afoko Team”, He Says

Another notable element of Afoko's campaign is his position that he does not intend to build a personal slate of candidates for the other national executive positions.

He says delegates should be free to choose the people they believe are best suited for each position.

The former chairman's position is that the next national leadership should be an NPP team, rather than a collection of executives tied to one individual's faction.

That message is consistent with his broader call for the party to move beyond internal divisions.

Experience Is Part of His Pitch

Afoko is returning to a position he previously held, making his experience one of the central arguments behind his candidacy.

He says his earlier time in office gave him lessons that can be useful in addressing the party's current organisational challenges.

However, he is also asking delegates to look beyond his past record.

His argument is that what he learned from his previous tenure should help him approach the challenges facing the NPP differently this time around.

That puts his experience under scrutiny as delegates consider whether it represents an advantage or whether the party needs a different leadership approach.

A Competitive Chairmanship Race

Afoko is entering a competitive contest.

The NPP's wider national officers election has attracted several aspirants across the various positions as the party prepares to select the leadership team that will oversee its organisation ahead of 2028.

The National Chairmanship is particularly significant because the position sits at the heart of the party's organisational structure.

The chairperson will have an important role in coordinating the party's national structures and helping to maintain cohesion among its grassroots, constituency and regional organisations.

The nomination process is now moving towards the vetting stage, which is scheduled for August 31 to September 3, 2026.

The national officers are expected to be elected on October 3, 2026.

Also Read: Breaking: Confusion Surrounds NPP Western North Chairmanship Results

The developments surrounding the party's regional elections demonstrate just how closely NPP members and supporters are following the internal reorganisation process.

Why This Contest Matters

The NPP is choosing its next national leadership at an important point in its political journey.

After losing the 2024 general election, the party is now reorganising its structures while preparing for another presidential contest in 2028.

That means the person who eventually becomes National Chairman will have a major organisational responsibility.

The job will involve helping to strengthen the party at the grassroots, coordinate national structures and work alongside the party's presidential candidate as the NPP prepares for the next election.

Afoko's pitch is that unity must come first.

His opponents will have their own arguments about the kind of leadership the party requires.

For delegates, the decision will ultimately come down to which candidate they believe can best organise the party and give it a realistic path back to power.

Also Read: Full NPP Savannah Regional Election Results Emerge — See All Winners

The Savannah results are part of the broader regional reorganisation that will eventually feed into the party's national structure.

The Question Afoko Has Put Before the NPP

Afoko has now made his case.

He wants to return as National Chairman with a message of reconciliation, grassroots rebuilding and electoral recovery.

But the real test will come when NPP delegates weigh that message against the records, personalities and proposals of the other aspirants.

Can a former chairman who is promising to unite the party convince delegates that he is the right person to lead its next chapter?

That is the question the NPP's national chairmanship race will increasingly revolve around as the election approaches.

What Do You Think?

Should the NPP return Paul Afoko to the National Chairmanship, or is this the time for a new face to lead the party into 2028?

Share your views in the comments and follow Global Pulse GH for more verified Ghana political news and developments.