By Dennis Peprah
Sunyani (Bono), June 18, GNA-Mr Yaw Mahama Afful, a former Deputy Minister of Aviation has declared his intention to contest the Bono Regional chairmanship slot of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
He said his decision to contest for the position was not for personal gains, but in the supreme interest of the NPP towards winning the Election 2028 and to re-capture the 11 orphan constituency parliamentary seats of the party in the region.
Mr Afful, also a former Member of Parliament (MP) for Jaman South Constituency in the region, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview in Sunyani that: “I have brace myself well for the position and am ready to pick the forms when nominations open.”
He said his 12 years’ experience in parliament as well as his business acumen and credentials positioned him well to lead the NPP in the region.
Mr Afful said the NPP required leadership change at the constituency and regional levels if the party could make impacts and regain political power as well as winning more parliamentary seats in the 2028 General Election.
The former Deputy Minister said he was not in any position to criticise or blame the present leadership of the NPP in the Bono Region for losing the 11 out to the 12 parliamentary seats in the Election 2024.
Nonetheless, Mr Afful said healthy democracy required competitive internal elections, hence his decision to contest for the regional chairman slot.
“The feedback from the party people at the grassroots since I decided to go for the chairman position has inspired me a lot to take over the position and lead tour great party to win political power in 2028,” he stated.
Mr Afful, also a businessman and farmer said: “What I can do now to appreciate what the NPP has done for me personally is to ensure that I lead the party to regain political power and also re-capture our lost parliamentary seats in the region.”
He emphasised that as a political party, the NPP remained stronger, saying that with unity, a sense of collectiveness and purpose, the party could make a difference in the next General Election.
Mr Afful therefore advised the party to shun from unnecessary criticism and blaming one another for the party’s humiliating defeat in the last elections, saying, that, “We lost the Election 2024, and many of our parliament seats because of voter apathy and complacency.”
“What we need to do concentrate doing now is to identify and collectively tackle our internal challenges,” he stated, and urged the members and supporters of the party not to lose hope, but rather rally solidly behind the NPP flagbearer, the former Vice President Dr Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumia to lead the party to a resounding victory in the Election 2028.
Mr Afful called on the party members in the region to consider, make informed decisions and vote for him to lead the NPP in the Bono Region.
GNA
Edited by Benjamin Mensah
Reporter: Dennis Peprah
Reporter’s email: [email protected]