Afoko pulls gun on NPP top executives

Disturbing information reaching The Republic newspaper indicates the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) National Chairman, Paul Afoko has developed a curious appetite for carrying guns on him during meetings in the party headquarters and has allegedly pulled his gun on the party’s Nasara Coordinator, Kamaldeen Abdulai.

About two weeks ago, during a heated meeting of the party’s top executives and after an apparent altercation with the National Organiser of the Party- John Boadu, Paul Afoko is alleged to have ordered those present at the meeting to leave the conference room so he can “deal with” a bewildered John Boadu.

Afterwards, he was confronted by the Nasara Coordinator forcing him to pull out a gun and telling Mr. Abdulai that he “will shoot anybody who threatened him.”

Mr. Paul Afoko has however denied the allegation flatly.

In a text message exchange between Mr. Afoko and The Republic’s Managing Editor, Mr. David Tamakloe, the NPP chair stated, “ Sorry, I have never pulled a gun on anyone."

His denial was response to an inquiry by the Editor to cross-check the allegation of gun threat by the NPP Chairman on his colleague NEC member.

Mr. Afoko however would not confirm whether or not he owns a licensed gun as he refused to reply subsequent texts by Mr. Tamakloe.

At the moment, details of the altercation are sketchy as a call by this paper to Mr. Abdulahi hit a snag because he refused to comment about the incident. A similar inquiry by Accra-based Okay FM yielded the same response, as the bewildered Nasara Coordinator simply stated that he does not want to discuss the incident.

“As far as I’m concerned, the incident happened after the said meeting,” a reliable source from the party told the Republic newspaper.

Apparently, the face-off with the Nasara Coordinator was not the first time Paul Afoko has shown his alleged violent streak; he is said to have had several brush-off with other party members.

The two- John Boadu and Kamaldeen Abdulahi- are widely seen as strong supporters of the party’s twice-defeated flagbearer, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo while Paul Afoko is believed to have a certain allegiance to Akufo-Addo’s arch-rival, John Alan Kwadwo Kyeremanteng.

Indeed, incidence of violent confrontations within the tension-filled opposition NPP has become relatively rampant in the past couple of weeks. Just last week, a group of militias of the party clashed at the party’s headquarters with a band of bodyguards contracted by Paul Afoko and the General Secretary, Kwabena Agyapong.

Since the violent altercation between the rival gangs at the party’s headquarters, Kwabena Agyapong goes about with a group of heavily armed bodyguards; even when he reports to work at the party’s headquarters, fearing that he might be attacked. Indeed, he last week told the media that he was afraid for his life.

Run-up to the October 18 delegates’ congress to elect its next flagbearer, intense tension has befallen the party following the serious turf war by the Ashanti and Akyem divides in the party.

Death threats are flying all over in the main opposition party as violence and internal cracks deepen in the party.

The Republic newspaper can confirm that the latest death threat was issued to Kennedy Ohene Agyapong- the NPP’s Assin Central Member of Parliament- from the bodyguard of former Chief of Staff, Kwadwo Mpianim.