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Suspended Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Paul Awentami Afoko, may have called the bluff of the party’s National Executive Council (NEC) AGAIN by turning up at the ongoing public forum on the voters register being organised by the Electoral Commission (EC) in his capacity as National Chairman; but the opposition party says the embattled Chair is not part of their OFFICIAL representatives.

NPP's General Secretary, Kwabena Agyei Agyepong had earlier told the media that the beleaguered Mr Afoko will lead the opposition party's team at the forum.

All those who matter in the electoral process are at Alisa Hotel where the question political parties and election experts are attempting to answer in the two-day debate on the way forward for the electoral register is 'should the voters’ register be maintained as it is, modified or changed altogether?.

The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) wants a new voters’ register.

The ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) wants the current register maintained.

The Progressive People’s Party (PPP), as usual, has come up with the most sensible suggestion. They want the National Identification Card system completed so that we will have a uniform and credible register, with the national ID as the basis. For instance, the NPP are alleging that there are a lot of foreigners on the current voters’ register. If the national identification system is used, this problem will be solved. It will also ensure that people don’t lie about their age in order to vote. The age one gives will determine when one will go on retirement etc.

But it seems the PPP’s suggestion will not be implemented because we think it will take rocket science to get the National Identification Authority (NIA) to complete that exercise before next year’s election. So the main argument is whether there should be a new voters register or not, or how the current register should be cleaned up.

Mr Afoko, hell-bent on holding himself out as National Chairman, has served notice he will be challenging NEC's decision in court.

The embattled Chairman, it would be recalled, declared himself still at post and even issued a statement last Tuesday congratulating Ivorian leader, Allasane Quattara, on his re-election for a second term in office.

It therefore came as no surprise to some when he stormed the event's grounds dressed in his usual flamboyant smock.

But in what appears to be a direct rebuff of his (Afoko's) actions, the largest opposition party says he (Afoko) was not part of NPP's official representatives at the forum ad therefore cannot be said to be the leader of the NPP's team at the event.

A press release purportedly signed by Perry Okudzeto, Deputy Communications Director, issued Thursday, and cited on the facebook walls of Kofi Agyepong (NPP Communications Directorate, Gh) and Nana Ansah Obofour (NPP UK Communications Officer) listed the names of the party's representatives at the forum as; Former National Chairman Peter Mac Manu, General Secretary Kwabena Agyepong, NPP Director of Elections Martin Adjei-Mensah Korsah, Member of Parliament for Akuapem South Constituency and former deputy Youth and Sports Minister, Osei Bonsu Amoah and National Organiser John Boadu.

According to the statement, "the Directorate will also like to bring to the attention of the public that, former Chairman Mr. Paul Afoko was not part of the party’s official representatives.

Mr. Paul Afoko, Haruna Esseku, Appiah Menkah and other members were however present at the forum to offer their support.