NPP Revamp: Akufo-Addo, Kufuor must step back – Jonathan Okyere

A senior lecturer at the University of Cape Coast (UCC), Dr. Jonathan Asante Okyere, has advised the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to revamp its campaign strategy by featuring non-partisan and highly respected individuals at the forefront.

This recommendation comes on the heels of the NPP’s announcement to establish a committee to investigate its significant loss in the 2024 elections.

Speaking on Starr Today on Monday, December 23, Dr. Okyere emphasized that the NPP should take a cue from the National Democratic Congress (NDC) by incorporating reputable and widely admired individuals into their campaign.

He cited the 2024 campaign as an example, suggesting that President Akufo-Addo’s involvement was not ideal, given his low approval ratings, as indicated by Global InfoAnalytics data.

Dr. Okyere further stated that both Akufo-Addo and former President Kufuor should take a backseat, allowing the party to rebrand and reorganize.

He expressed surprise at Kufuor’s recent partisan activities, which he believed were influenced by party loyalty rather than statesmanship.

Dr. Okyere also pointed to discontent within the NPP’s Ashanti support base, which he believed played a significant role in the party’s defeat.

He suggested that the leadership’s actions, rather than the party itself, led to the disgruntlement, which could have affected the election outcome.

He said, “They [Akufo-Addo and Kufuor] should rather stay behind. Maybe Dr. Bawumia did not have what it took to lead the party to win the elections. The president had the lowest performance rate in approval rate. If you look at the Global InfoAnalytics data, he had the lowest approval rate. So you didn’t need such a person to lead in the front line of your campaign. So as for the president, he is out. The only thing they can do is to solicit some views from him as a committee member, not him becoming part of the committee.”

“President Kufuor, I think that he has run his race, he’s tired. I was surprised that every now and then, they hauled him to take part in partisan activities because until recently he voiced the view that Dr. Bawumia is the best, which I realized was partisan influence, and it was not a statesman-like statement from the former president, someone I highly respect because he has gained acceptability and respect from all and sundry, including the NDC, NPP itself, and other political parties.

"So there was no need for him to meddle in this affair. But I got information that the journey was too tough for Bawumia and they needed to convince the Ashanti support base to come on board. That is even the main cause of the defeat of the NPP. The Ashanti support base felt disgruntled by the actions of the leadership, not the party,” he added.

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