NPP Chairmanship Race: Afoko and Rival Aspirants Unite at Jamasi Funeral

Paul Afoko, the former National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has reunited with a host of fellow aspirants vying for the party's national executive positions, signalling a moment of solidarity as the NPP begins preparations for its upcoming internal elections.

The meeting took place in Jamasi, in the Ashanti Region, during the funeral and burial rites for Obaapa Elizabeth Owusu Kwaaso, the 103-year-old mother of Kwadwo Okyere Mpiani, who served as Chief of Staff under former President John Agyekum Kufuor.

A Gathering of NPP Heavyweights

What began as a condolence visit quickly became one of the more symbolically significant gatherings of NPP figures in recent months. Among those present were several prominent aspirants for the National Chairmanship slot, including former National Organiser John Boadu, veteran Ghanaian diplomat Edward Akwasi Boateng, former Minister for Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs Stephen Asamoah Boateng, and former Energy Minister Boakye Agyarko.

Two former Presidents of Ghana -- John Agyekum Kufuor and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo -- were also in attendance, lending added weight to an event that drew together some of the NPP's most influential figures from across its recent history.

The occasion offered an informal but meaningful platform for the aspirants to interact with each other and with party stalwarts at a time when internal competition for key positions is intensifying ahead of the NPP's next national delegates conference.

Afoko Calls for Party Unity

Paul Afoko, who is making a second bid for the National Chairmanship after a turbulent earlier tenure, used the gathering to stress the importance of cohesion within the party. Speaking with fellow aspirants and executives, he emphasised that the NPP's path to electoral recovery must be paved with internal unity rather than division.

The aspirants were seen exchanging pleasantries in a cordial atmosphere, with observers noting the positive tone as a sign of growing consensus within a party still processing the lessons of its 2024 general election defeat.

It is rare for competing internal candidates to be photographed together in such an open and relaxed setting, and political observers were quick to read the optics as deliberate -- a public message that the race for party leadership would be conducted with dignity and mutual respect.

Afoko's Return to the National Stage

Afoko's re-emergence as a serious contender for the NPP chairmanship is itself a notable storyline. His first tenure as National Chairman was marked by controversy and a protracted suspension that kept him locked in a legal battle with the party for years. His return to active party politics -- and now his presence alongside fellow aspirants in a display of harmony -- suggests a significant shift in his standing within NPP circles.

His decision to attend the funeral in Jamasi and engage directly with competitors like John Boadu and the Boateng duo is being interpreted as part of a deliberate outreach strategy, aimed at rebuilding bridges within a party that fractured badly during and after the 2024 election cycle.

Bidding Farewell to a Centenarian

Beyond the political significance of the gathering, the occasion was first and foremost a moment of grief and tribute for the Mpiani family. Obaapa Elizabeth Owusu Kwaaso, who passed away at the remarkable age of 103, was laid to rest at the family house following a requiem mass held at St Michael's Catholic Church in Jamasi.

Born at a time when Ghana was still a British colony, she had witnessed nearly a century of the country's evolution -- from colonial rule through independence to the present democratic era. She gave birth to Kwadwo Okyere Mpiani at the age of 18, meaning she outlived most of her contemporaries by several decades.

Family members, political associates, and community members gathered to pay their final respects to a woman whose longevity and quiet endurance had become a source of inspiration to those who knew her.

NPP's Road to Recovery

The Jamasi gathering comes at a critical juncture for the NPP. Following its loss in the December 2024 general elections, the party is engaged in a deep process of reflection, reorganisation, and renewal. The selection of credible national executives is widely seen as central to the NPP's ability to mount a credible opposition and eventually reclaim the presidency.

The contest for the National Chairmanship position is particularly watched. The chairman serves as the face of the party organisation, plays a crucial role in campaign strategy, and sets the tone for internal party democracy. With multiple experienced figures throwing their hats in the ring, the race is expected to be competitive.

• Paul Afoko -- former National Chairman, making his second bid
• John Boadu -- former National Organiser, widely credited with the NPP's 2016 victory campaign
• Edward Akwasi Boateng -- senior diplomat and party figure
• Stephen Asamoah Boateng -- former minister, long-time party faithful
• Boakye Agyarko -- former Energy Minister, experienced campaigner

Each candidate brings a different profile and support base to the contest, and the coming months will see intense lobbying among delegates across the country's regions.

Reading the Room in Jamasi

Political analysts say the Jamasi encounter is unlikely to be the last of its kind. With the NPP's national delegates conference on the horizon, expect more carefully choreographed moments of unity -- as aspirants balance the need to campaign aggressively against the imperative to project a party that has matured from its recent internal conflicts.

For Afoko, the optics of standing shoulder to shoulder with his competitors -- in the presence of two former presidents -- sends a message that his candidacy is not a grudge match but a genuine bid to serve the party in its next chapter.

Whether that narrative lands with grassroots delegates will be determined in the days and weeks ahead. But for now, the road to the NPP's national chairmanship runs, in part, through a churchyard in Jamasi -- and the quiet conversations that happened there on a Tuesday in the Ashanti Region.