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The National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Paul Awentami Afoko, has welcomed peace overtures by former President J.A. Kufuor and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the party’s Election 2016 flag bearer, to bring an end to the feud in the party.

The national chairman described the peace initiatives by the two illustrious members of the party as ”the right tonic that will stabilise the NPP to prosecute and win the 2016 general and presidential elections with a united front”.

In an exclusive interview with the Daily Graphic yesterday, Mr Afoko, who was accompanied by the party’s General Secretary, Mr Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, disclosed that “even though we were not with Nana Akufo-Addo at his press conference on Friday, I can assure you we were with him in spirit and we are grateful for his intervention”.

Mr Afoko, therefore, expressed the hope that the advice given by both President Kufuor and Nana Akufo-Addo would be fully adhered to by the rank  and file of the party and put into practice to guarantee a formidable front to confront and win Election 2016.

“We, on our part, are ready to sit and work hard with all members of the party to find a workable and lasting solution to end the raging feud in the party,” he said.

He commended the constituency chairmen from the Ashanti Region who had begun a process to amicably end the turmoil in the party by inviting them (Mr Afoko and Mr Agyepong) to explore the way forward.

The chairmen have also expressed interest in holding a similar closed-door meeting with the flag bearer in Accra “to ensure that the party channels its strength, resources and time into booting out the Mahama Administration in 2016”.

Mr Afoko prayed that the larger NPP members would take a cue from the constituency chairmen from the Ashanti Region to find a lasting solution to the internal wranglings.

Step aside
Messrs  Afoko and Agyepong have come under pressure to step aside or resign, as internal party turmoil grabs national attention.

Nana Akufo-Addo organised a press conference on Friday and demanded a ceasefire from all sides in the conflict. He also directed that the duo should be allowed to enter the party headquarters to carry on with their official duties.

Death of Adams
“The death of our brother, Alhaji Adams Mahama, is hard to bear for all of us and our heartfelt condolences first go to his family.

“As you know, the NPP is in a period of mourning, and after the “Adua” prayers, we will meet as a body and consider a number of programmes, including setting up a foundation in his honour and memory,” Mr Afoko said.

Need for peace
‘’Until then, I am also adding my voice in reiterating the need for calm, unity and cool heads within the NPP because without it, it will be difficult to win political power.

“This is not the time for vilification and vindictiveness and I will continue to pray for peace and reason to prevail in our party,’’ Mr Afoko stated.

Fasting and prayers 

Meanwhile, the party, on Sunday, was expected to launch a one-week fasting and prayer session to seek God’s intervention to solve the crisis within the party.

The division in the party worsened after the death of the Upper East Regional Chairman of the party, Adams Mahama.

The party believes committing its problems to God will help it bounce back united and ready to win the 2016 elections.

The National Women’s Organiser, Otiko Afisa Djaba, said they would mainly be praying for peace and understanding within the party and also for God to deliver them from what she said was a “demon of confusion”.

Nana Akufo-Addo backed the fasting and prayer session and remarked that it was in the right direction.

“…We should all embrace the laudable initiative of the National Women’s Organiser, who is launching, as from this Sunday, here at the party headquarters, a week of fasting and prayers for the welfare of the NPP. I have no doubt that with the help of Almighty God and by our collective determination, the storms that are currently buffeting the great historic movement that the NPP represents will soon subside, so that it can fulfill its mission of developing our nation in freedom,” he added.