General Afrifa's parliamentary bid aimed to protect 1966 coup participants

In a 1977 letter to then Head of State Lieutenant General Ignatius Kutu Acheampong, Afrifa expressed fears of vengeance from the Convention People's Party CPP once civilian rule was restored. He believed that serving in Parliament would offer protection against trials for soldiers involved in coups. Afrifa won the Mampong North parliamentary seat on the Popular Front Party PFP ticket in 1979, securing a place in Ghana's Third Republic.

However, his political journey was cut short when he was executed by firing squad on June 26, 1979, by the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council AFRC led by Flight Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings, just eight days after his election victory. He was among eight senior military officers executed on allegations of corruption and abuse of office. Afrifa never had the opportunity to be sworn into office, and Ebenezer Augustus Kwasi Akuoko succeeded him in Parliament.