Afoko, Agyepong Missing

The National Chairman and the General Secretary of Ghana’s biggest opposition Party – New Patriotic Party (NPP) – Paul Afoko and Kwabena Agyepong respectively, were absent at the burial service held for the late Upper East Regional Chairman of the party, Adams Mahama, at the weekend.

Mr Afoko and Agyepong have been accused of having a hand in the gruesome murder of the late Adams Mahama as the two officers had allegedly pushed for his suspension at the last Steering Committee meeting of the party a day before Adams was bathed with acid, leading to his death.

It had been suggested that the absence of the two national executives was due to threats by aggrieved youth of the party that they should stay away from the burial and funeral services and also abstain from involving themselves in party issues for a while to allow tempers die down.

Youth of Bolgatanga, prior to the funeral of the NPP regional chairman, threatened bloodbath if the two top notches of the party showed up in the area. Afoko's brother, Gregory Afoko, had already been arrested in connection with the murder.

The youth of the party agitated against the two men when a supposed meeting of party executives in the Upper East Region and the two national executives was disrupted. According to the youth, they were aggrieved by the fact that the late regional chairman, Adams Mahama, was allegedly not aware of the meeting.

Five other regional executives believed to be supporters of Afoko who did not see eye-to-eye with the late Adams Mahama, also stayed away from the burial service on Saturday.

They included the Regional Organizer, Jerry Asamni; Regional Youth Organizer, Bashiru Ibrahim; Regional Nasara Coordinator, Mba Siita; Regional Second Vice Chairman, Osman Kunkunaba and the Women Organiser, Florence Sampokabila. Other persons like the C.E.O of Tanga Radio, Agana Bawa Rasheed, who also had problems with the late Adams Mahama, were chased out of the family house, where the burial service was taking place.

Meanwhile, other national executives of the NPP, including the First Vice Chairman, Freddie Blay, as well as some former executives were at the service to support the 2016 flagbearer, Nana Akufo-Addo and running mate, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.