Odeneho Kwaku Appiah visits Henry Kokofu after landslide win, calls for unity in Ashanti NPP

Recently elected Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Odeneho Kwaku Appiah, met with his rival, Dr Henry Kwabena Kokofu, in an effort to promote unity within the party following his overwhelming victory in the regional elections. The meeting, marked as a crucial first step towards reconciliation, occurred after Odeneho Kwaku Appiah garnered 663 votes, surpassing Dr Kokofu, who received 269 votes.

Speaking during the gathering, Appiah emphasized that unity was at the core of his campaign and vital for the NPP's resurgence in 2028. "If we will need power, there must be unity. Creating a united party was part of my campaign because without unity, we can’t win power," he stated.

Appiah added that initiating unity efforts had to start at the grassroots level, and thus he sought forgiveness from his opponents and urged all members to work towards bringing the party to power. Dr Henry Kwabena Kokofu, a former EPA CEO, appreciated the gesture and vowed his support for the new leadership. "For us now, the vehicle is unity.

He, as the winner and victor, has a huge responsibility to extend the hands of invitation. He has just done that, perfect. I had the responsibility to call him and congratulate him. Unfortunately, I couldn’t reach him, so I sent him a text message. You are welcome to the seat. It is not an easy task, but with all of us around, we have to succeed," he remarked.

The Unity meeting took place at Dr Kokofu's residence in Kumasi and was attended by several regional executives and party members. The call for unity arrives at a pivotal moment for the NPP in its stronghold. In the 2024 General Elections, the party's presidential vote in Ashanti dropped to around 1,366,800, a 65% share, from 1.79 million in 2020.

Additionally, the NPP lost 10 out of 47 parliamentary seats in the region to the National Democratic Congress (NDC). Appiah, popularly known as COKA, has since urged members to leave behind the internal contest and focus on regaining lost seats ahead of the 2028 elections. The visit marks a new era for the Ashanti NPP as the party strives to reorganize and fortify its structures in preparation for the upcoming general election.