The New Patriotic Party (NPP) finds itself at a critical crossroads and in uncharted waters as internal and external pressures threaten the party’s transformation agenda ahead of its January 31 flagbearer contest. Growing dissent within the party has exposed deep fractures, raising concerns about the stability of its grassroots and its preparedness for the 2028 general elections.
Speaking on the Adekyee Mu Nsem morning show on Ahotor 92.3 FM in Accra, hosted by Citizen Kofi Owusu, Dr. Jonathan Asantet Otchere, a political analyst at the University of Cape Coast and Executive Director of the Africa Institute of Strategic Studies, warned that the party’s current direction could weaken its foundations.
According to Dr. Otchere, the decision to elect a flagbearer before fully reorganising party structures risks alienating grassroots supporters and undermining the party’s long-term electoral prospects. He argued that the NPP missed a crucial opportunity to properly reorganise after its time in government, noting that the party has struggled to heal internal divisions over the past eight years.
He attributed many of the party’s challenges to the tenure of former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, alleging that party activities stalled while he was in office. Dr. Otchere further claimed that cracks within the NPP widened when the former president openly supported a preferred candidate rather than prioritising party unity.
He emphasised that government is not synonymous with the party, urging political actors to clearly distinguish between state governance and party organisation. He also advised the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to learn from the NPP’s challenges by keeping its internal affairs in order to protect the grassroots that brought it to power.
In a related development, Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, a renowned heart surgeon and former Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, has strongly criticised the current state of the NPP, saying it no longer reflects the values of the party he once knew.
“The present NPP is not NPP. It is fake. From what I see now, this is not the NPP I used to know,” he said.
When asked whether he still considers himself a member of the party, Prof. Frimpong-Boateng said he does not associate himself with what he described as the “current version” of the NPP.
“Not the fake one. The real one is there. It is a virtual thing. The members are in the background,” he stated.
The former minister expressed grave concerns about the party’s internal electoral processes, particularly the selection of its last presidential candidate. He alleged that the process was characterised by manipulation, bribery, and intimidation of delegates.
“Look at how they elected their last flagbearer — twisting people’s arms, bribing delegates, intimidating others. This is the beginning of corruption. This should not be allowed in any serious institution or serious political party,” he said.
Prof. Frimpong-Boateng linked these internal shortcomings to the party’s heavy defeat in the last general elections, arguing that the NPP failed to honestly interrogate the reasons behind its loss.
“We lost the elections badly, and we did not deal with the issues that led to the losses. If we still want to go in there again, I think it will be a trainwreck if they elect the old flagbearer,” he warned.
When his criticism was interpreted as a direct attack on former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Prof. Frimpong-Boateng was quick to clarify.
“No, no, no. Bawumia is a very nice person, but being nice alone is not enough to lead Nkrumah’s Ghana,” he said.
He further cautioned that re-electing Dr. Bawumia as the NPP’s flagbearer would spell disaster for the party unless significant changes are made. According to him, Dr. Bawumia must clearly distance himself from individuals he believes were responsible for the economic difficulties under the Akufo-Addo administration.
Such a move, he argued, would demonstrate independence and signal a decisive break from past decisions that contributed to Ghana’s economic challenges, thereby helping to restore public confidence in the party.