12yrs in opposition too much for NPP – Paul Afoko

The National Chairman of Ghana’s biggest opposition party, the New Patriotic Party, Paul Afoko, has said the party will do everything possible to avert the possibility of being in opposition for 12 years.

The NPP would have been in opposition for 12 years if it loses the 2016 general elections having lost the 2008 and 2012 elections to the ruling National Democratic Congress.

None of the two major political parties - the NDC and NPP in the West African country - has been in opposition for a third term since the country returned to democratic rule in 1992.

According to Afoko, his administration will do all it takes to avoid a history that he believes will mar the reputation of the party for years to come.

“The NPP cannot stay in opposition for 12 years. It has never happened, and we will not be the first to start. We do not intend to go to court after 2016 elections so we will do everything possible to avert another scenario like it happened in 2012,” he stated

He said the party is monitoring the ongoing Voter registration exercise to ensure a cleaner voter register ahead of the elections.

“The exercise has been slow, but I am told it picks up in the evenings. We initially had problems in the Ashanti region, but the regional chairman and his people are dealing with it and we are happy about it,” Afoko told Accra-based Neat FM.