Former National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Awentami Paul Afoko, has declared that the party can return to government after spending only two years in opposition if its members unite and rebuild the party’s structures.

Afoko, who is seeking to return as National Chairman, made the declaration during his campaign tour of the Western, Central and Eastern Regions, where he engaged constituency executives and other party stakeholders ahead of the NPP’s October 3 national elections.

Speaking to delegates, Afoko said he was confident the NPP could recapture political power in the 2028 general election, provided the party resolves its internal divisions.

“I do not have a magic wand, but I can assure you that if we close our ranks and rally behind me to become the National Chairman, we have only two years to stay in opposition, and then power will be ours,” he said.

Afoko puts unity at the centre

Afoko’s campaign message revolves around his 3Rs blueprint — Reunite, Rebuild and Recapture Power.

He argued that the party has the resources and organisational capacity required to compete for power, but maintained that internal disagreements remain a major issue that must be addressed.

“We have all the ingredients for victory. What we lack is unity,” Afoko told the delegates, calling on members to put aside their differences and rebuild the party as one political family.

‘We must rebuild from the grassroots’

As part of his proposed reforms, Afoko said he would focus on strengthening the party’s grassroots structures, including constituency and polling-station organisations.

He also pledged to restore confidence among party supporters and foot soldiers whom he said had felt neglected.

His position is consistent with comments he made earlier in his campaign, when he said the NPP’s ability to return to government would depend heavily on healing internal divisions and strengthening its grassroots base.

2028 firmly in focus

Afoko’s declaration comes as the NPP prepares for its national executive elections, with the National Chairman contest scheduled for October 3, 2026, at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi.

His latest remarks are a political commitment and projection by the candidate; they do not establish the eventual outcome of the 2028 election. His central argument is that organisational unity and restructuring can position the NPP to compete for power in the next general election.

The Convention People’s Party (CPP) has renewed its appeal to President John Dramani Mahama to facilitate the return of properties the party says were confiscated by the state following the 1966 overthrow of Ghana’s first President and CPP founder, Dr Kwame Nkrumah.

The appeal was made by the CPP’s Acting First Vice-Chairperson, Joyce Osei Owusu Larbie, during a ceremony in Accra marking Dr Nkrumah’s 117th birthday.

Speaking under the theme “The Vision, The Legacy, The Future,” Larbie said the party was seeking “justice and restitution; not favour” from the government.

CPP wants its properties back

According to the CPP, it previously owned headquarters and offices in various parts of the country before the properties were taken over following the 1966 coup.

The party says it is currently operating from rented premises on Mango Street in Accra because it no longer has access to those properties.

Larbie argued that the circumstances surrounding the CPP’s properties were different from ordinary political-party financing because the party existed before the Fourth Republic and its assets were allegedly confiscated following a military overthrow and under a military decree.

She therefore urged President Mahama to revisit the matter and facilitate the return of the properties.

‘We are asking for restitution, not favour’

The CPP maintains that the return of its properties would help the party rebuild its organisational structures and strengthen its contribution to national development.

The party has pursued the matter for several years. In 2015, it took legal action against the government over properties it said were seized after the 1966 coup, including Republic House and the Nkrumah Flats at Lartebiokorshie. The case was dismissed in 2019 on issues including the party’s legal capacity and limitation.

The demand has nevertheless remained a recurring issue for the CPP, with the party renewing its call for the return of its former offices and other assets.

The CPP had also previously appealed to successive governments to address the issue as part of what it considers a broader process of historical reconciliation.

Mahama urged to act

Larbie is now calling on President Mahama to honour an earlier commitment to examine the CPP’s petition and take steps towards resolving the longstanding dispute.

For the CPP, the return of the properties is not simply about financial support for a political party but about restoring assets it says were legitimately acquired by its members and forebears before the 1966 coup.

The latest appeal comes as the party continues efforts to rebuild, reconcile and reorganise its structures while keeping Dr Nkrumah’s political legacy at the centre of its activities.

Majority Chief Whip and South Dayi MP Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor has entered the growing debate over narcotics trafficking in Ghana, arguing that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) cannot successfully turn the issue into a partisan political battle.

In a post on X, Dafeamekpor cited a series of drug seizures and arrests recorded in Ghana and involving Ghanaians or foreign nationals between 2017 and 2024.

He referenced cases involving cocaine and heroin seizures at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA), Ghana Post and other locations, as well as the major 399kg cocaine seizure at Nsawam in 2008.

Dafeamekpor drags 2008 cocaine case into debate

Dafeamekpor also referred to a January 2009 US Department of State report which described Ghana as a transit point for illegal drugs, particularly cocaine from South America and heroin from Afghanistan and Pakistan.

According to the report he cited, drugs were transiting through Accra’s Kotoka International Airport to Europe and the United States, while also contributing to domestic drug consumption.

The Majority Chief Whip used the historical cases to argue that drug trafficking is not a problem that began under the current administration.

His intervention comes amid heightened political debate following major narcotics seizures linked to consignments from Ghana, including the seizure of nearly 3.9 tonnes of cocaine at France’s Port of Dunkirk on September 10, 2026. The parliamentary Minority has called for Parliament to be recalled to examine the issue.

‘Let’s stop the politics’

Dafeamekpor is calling for the focus to shift away from political exchanges and towards tackling the narcotics menace as a national problem.

He argued that the various seizures and arrests should be viewed in the context of a longstanding challenge requiring cooperation among Ghanaian and international law-enforcement agencies.

His message was that political parties should put aside partisan considerations and support efforts to combat drug trafficking.

The South Dayi MP has also previously argued that Parliament should not interfere with ongoing investigations being conducted by the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC), the Police and other agencies legally mandated to investigate and prosecute narcotics-related offences.

NPP and NDC clash over Ghana’s drug-trafficking record

The latest comments add another layer to the political debate over Ghana’s handling of narcotics trafficking.

While the opposition has raised concerns about recent seizures and the security of Ghana’s ports and export systems, Dafeamekpor has pointed to historical cases to argue that the challenge cuts across different administrations.

For him, the issue should not become a contest between the NPP and NDC, but rather a national effort involving security agencies, customs, port authorities and international partners.

The New Patriotic Party’s National Officers Elections Committee (NOEC) has concluded its final engagement with aspirants and their representatives ahead of the party’s National Officers Election scheduled for Saturday, October 3, 2026.

The engagement, chaired by NOEC Chairman Frederick Opare-Ansah, focused on the final rules, regulations, guidelines and operational arrangements for the election.

The election will be held at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi, with the National Annual Delegates Conference scheduled to commence at 9:00 a.m.

Final delegates register ready

The NOEC announced that the Final Delegates Register had been completed and would be made available for collection from September 17.

Delegates have also been given access to an online verification facility to confirm their eligibility to participate in the election.

They can use the verification section of the NPP’s official website and enter either their phone number or Voter ID number to receive a one-time password (OTP) and check their eligibility.

Proxy voting arrangements confirmed

The committee also confirmed that proxy voting will be allowed under an approved Proxy Voting Framework.

The final Proxy Register is expected to be published on September 27, 2026.

The arrangement is intended to provide eligible delegates who qualify under the framework with an avenue to participate in the election through authorised proxy arrangements.

Youth and women delegates to vote in additional elections

The NOEC further clarified the voting arrangements for some categories of delegates.

All eligible youth delegates will participate in the election of the National Youth Organiser in addition to the other elections.

Similarly, all eligible female delegates will vote in the election of the National Women’s Organiser alongside the other national positions.

For the position of National Vice-Chairperson, each delegate will be required to select three aspirants, with the tally system to be used in determining the results.

Aspirants given role in ballot and polling preparations

Aspirants have been asked to submit the names of their printing agents who will monitor the ballot-printing process.

They are also required to submit the names and photographs of their polling agents for accreditation.

The measures form part of the committee’s preparations to ensure that representatives of the various aspirants can participate in the election process within the established rules.

Electoral Commission and Police to support election

The election will be conducted by the Electoral Commission of Ghana, under the supervision of the NOEC.

The Ghana Police Service will also collaborate with the committee and the Electoral Commission on security arrangements for the exercise.

The NOEC has urged aspirants, their agents, supporters and delegates to comply with the approved electoral, accreditation and security arrangements.

Media accreditation deadline

Media organisations and bloggers intending to cover the National Annual Delegates Conference have also been reminded to complete the accreditation process.

The deadline for media accreditation is September 21, 2026, through the NPP’s official website.

A Media Village will be established at Baba Yara Sports Stadium for accredited media houses that wish to set up studios.

However, accredited media personnel will not have access to the inner perimeter of the stadium. An official broadcast feed will instead be provided for live transmission.

Delegates expected in Kumasi on October 2

According to the NOEC, delegates are expected to arrive in Kumasi on the evening of Friday, October 2, ahead of the conference the following morning.

The committee has expressed appreciation to the aspirants and their representatives for their cooperation and reiterated its commitment to a fair, transparent, orderly and credible electoral process.

With the final engagement now completed, attention turns to October 3, when NPP delegates will gather in Kumasi to elect the party’s national officers.