Former National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Paul Awentami Afoko, says his suspension from office and the subsequent court ruling that upheld it ended his ambitions of seeking any active political position.
In an interview with Accra-based Starr FM, Mr. Afoko described the episode as a turning point in his life, admitting it convinced him that politics in Ghana is “a thankless job.”
“After my suspension was confirmed and the court gave what I still consider a bizarre judgment, I told myself, ‘never again.’ I will not go looking for any active role in politics. You walk in with ideals, and this is the outcome—lies, betrayal, and in some cases, people willing to go to deadly lengths to get rid of you,” he remarked.
He cited the 2015 killing of Adams Mahama, then Upper East Regional Chairman of the party, as a tragic incident that was exploited to push for his removal.
According to him, the petitions that called for his suspension were coordinated and nearly identical.
“My brother Greg didn’t kill anyone. Yet when Adams was killed, some people turned it into an opportunity to remove me. The petitions that came in were word-for-word the same, except for the names and addresses. The claim was that if I stayed, I would make sure Akufo-Addo lost the election,” he recounted.
Mr. Afoko admitted the events left him angry and disillusioned but said he later found comfort in the counsel of former President John Agyekum Kufuor.
“I was boiling with anger and went to see President Kufuor. He told me the anger would destroy me if I held onto it. That advice helped me let go. Today, I am no longer bitter,” he revealed.
Mr. Afoko’s reflections underscore how political rivalry and internal party struggles influenced his decision to step back from frontline politics and prioritize personal peace over power struggles.
Source: Adomonline
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