Afoko’s Magic 3R Formula: Reunite! Rebuild! Recapture Power!

 In a well-received return to the frontline of opposition politics, former National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Paul Awentami Afoko, has urged the party’s Minority Caucus in Parliament to lead the charge back to Jubilee House.

At a closed-door meeting with Minority MPs last Wednesday, May 20, in Accra, Afoko unveiled a bold new political roadmap which he dubbed the ‘3R Agenda’ and described it as the only path to reunite, rebuild and recapture political power for the NPP to return to government.

“For years I chose to work quietly behind the scenes, supporting the NPP in private. But recent developments have compelled me to step forward,” Afoko told the gathering.

He added: “we need to get our party back into winning ways, and that starts with unity and purpose.”

The former chairman, whose own tenure was marked by a bitter suspension saga later ruled unlawful by the courts, did not mince words when he warned that without a concerted effort to heal internal wounds, the dream of returning to power would remain a “mirage.”

The former chairman laid particular responsibility at the feet of the Minority MPs, urging them to act not just as lawmakers but as unifying figures across warring party factions.

Paul Afoko then laid out the 3R Agenda in clear terms: first, reunite by healing internal divisions and restoring trust across factions; second, rebuild by strengthening party structures from the polling station to the national level; and third, recapture by re-engaging the base and presenting a credible, united front to Ghanaians.

“My record speaks for itself. I am result-oriented, and with the collective support of the party, we can achieve this,” Afoko said.

 ‘2014 MODEL’

Drawing on his time as National Chairman, Afoko held up the NPP’s 2014 presidential primaries as a gold standard of internal discipline—one he said the party has since lost.

“We conducted primaries where every candidate accepted the outcome and no one broke away to run independently,” he recalled, adding that “leaders like Sammy Awuku can attest to the level of organization and trust we had at the time.”

Afoko lamented that the NPP’s current electoral base has eroded over the years, particularly during periods in government when competition for positions bred toxic divisions.

“Historically, even in opposition, the NPP has outperformed the NDC in vote percentages,” Afoko noted. “That tells us our base is strong, but it has weakened. The question now is: how do we win it back?”

 A VEILED CHALLENGE?

“Move past internal rivalries,” Afoko concluded. “The bigger goal is winning the trust of Ghanaians and returning to government to deliver development.”

Political analysts say Afoko’s sudden public resurgence after years of working “behind the scenes” sends a clear signal to the current national leadership that he intends to be a major player in the party’s rebuilding process.

With the NPP still licking wounds from recent electoral defeats, one thing is certain: Afoko has thrown down the gauntlet.

Afoko’s decision to contest for the party’s National Chairmanship position when nominations are opened has sparked excitement across political circles immediately after it went public.