Former New Patriotic Party (NPP) National Chairman Awentami Paul Afoko has urged party members to reject suggestions that the flagbearer and the National Chairman cannot come from the same region.
“Recently, some have suggested that because our presidential candidate comes from the northern part of our country, the next National Chairman should not also come from northern Ghana. I respect the right of every patriot to make an argument, but I respectfully disagree,” he said.
Mr Afoko argued that the party’s constitution establishes the NPP as a national party, structured and operated nationally. “Our Constitution tells us that the New Patriotic Party is a national party, structured and operated on a national basis, and that principle matters,” he said.
Speaking after filing his nomination for the NPP National Chairmanship, Mr. Afoko said the party’s history shows that geographical proximity has never automatically disqualified competent people from serving together at its highest levels. “The NPP has never been a federation of geographical enclaves whose leadership positions must be shared according to latitude. We are one national political family. In our own history, geographical proximity has never automatically disqualified competent people from serving together at the highest levels of this Party,” he said.
He urged delegates to judge candidates on competence, integrity, experience, temperament and ability rather than geography. “Let us judge every candidate by competence, integrity, experience, temperament and the ability to do the job. Let us not create geographical barriers that our Constitution does not create. Dr Bawumia was not elected to represent northern Ghana but to lead the New Patriotic Party, and I am not seeking to become Chairman of northern Ghana. I am seeking to become National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party of Ghana,” Mr. Afoko stressed.
He called on NPP members to stay united rather than divide along regional lines. “The elephant has no northern leg and no southern leg. Every leg belongs to the same elephant, and every leg must be strong if the elephant is to move forward. So let us not divide ourselves by geography when our greatest task is to unite Ghana behind the New Patriotic Party,” he added.
