The National Youth Organiser of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Salam Mustapha, has issued a statement on the party's defeat in the 2024 presidential and parliamentary elections.
In a Facebook post shared on Wednesday, December 25, 2024, his first since election day, the national youth organiser described the election loss as massive while signalling a period of introspection and rebuilding for the party amidst the pain and disappointment that has come with the defeat.
"It's been a little over two weeks after the December 7th elections in which we lost, massively. I have read so many of your commentaries on various platforms about the elections and their outcomes. I can feel your souls and spirits splitting up. For especially the youth who gave their all for this campaign, I can understand your pain. I'm more pained and saddened that we disappointed you. I feel your anger," he stated.
He noted that the ultimate responsibility for the defeat rests with the leadership of the party, even in the face of the efforts that were channelled into the campaign.
The defeat, according to Mustapha, was a loud communication about the apathy within the party's base and the impact of economic issues on voter sentiment. He stressed the need for a comprehensive postmortem to dissect the reasons behind the loss, which he hopes will guide the party towards necessary reforms and a stronger comeback.
"We gave it our all, but we didn't get the desired results we all wanted. It's okay to rant and vent out your spleen. It's okay to come for our heads as national executives. The principle of ultimate responsibility makes it imperative that we take your scorn, opprobrium, and even insults. As much as we worked, maybe we could have done more. I understand you and hold no grudges against anyone.
"The results of the elections communicate loudly about the apathy of our base and the effect of economic issues. So many other reasons are on the table, and it begs for a full-blown and proper postmortem to unravel the causes of the defeat. This will help us rebound stronger and better. A postmortem will decipher the issues, put them in their proper contexts, and then point us in the direction to go by way of recommendations and reforms," he stated.
He re-echoed the words of the party's flagbearer, Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, on the need for the NPP to regroup and bounce back by going through a difficult process of picking the pieces together and mending them.
He affirmed his commitment to the rebuilding of the party and urged supporters to engage in proposing constructive ideas for critical reforms that will help rebuild the party.
The Electoral Commission Chairperson, Jean Mensa, on Monday, December 9, 2024, declared John Mahama, the presidential candidate of the NDC, the winner in the election, with a total of 6,328,397 votes.
Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) received 4,657,304 votes. Mahama's party, the NDC, achieved historic success by gaining a majority in Parliament.
Ahead of the election, Salam Mustapha, on multiple occasions, expressed absolute confidence in the NPP's victory and went as far as literally putting his head on the line if his party lost the election.
"We are not losing the election; let nobody try to convince you NPP is going to lose. I am telling you, if we lose this election, I keep on telling people, 'cut off my head.' That is the level of my confidence going into that election," he told some party faithful in the lead-up to the election.
Read his full post below:
There's calm after the storm.
It's been a little over two weeks after the December 7th elections in which we lost, massively. I have read so many of your commentaries on various platforms about the elections and its outcomes. I can feel your souls and spirits splitting up. For, especially the youth who gave their all for this campaign, i can understand your pain. I'm more pained and saddened that we disappointed you.
I feel your anger.
We gave it our all, but we didn't get the desired results we all wanted. It's okay to rant and vent out your spleen. It's okay to come for our heads as national executives. The principle of ultimate responsibility makes it imperative that we take your scorn, opprobrium, and even insults. As much as we worked, maybe we could have done more. I understand you and hold no grudges against anyone.
The results of the elections communicate loudly about the apathy of our base, and effect of economic issues. So many other reasons are on the table, and it begs for a full-blown and proper postmortem to unravel the causes of the defeat. This will help us rebound stronger and better. A postmortem will decipher the issues and put them in their proper contexts and then point us in the direction to go by way of recommendations and reforms.
As intimated by the Flagbearer, we will regroup and come back harder. Let's pick up the pieces and mend them, and move ahead. It's not going to be easy, but it's possible. I have overwhelming trust and faith in our collective strength and our resolve and know that, we will bounce back with a bang.
I'm totally committed to putting all my energy into rebuilding the party and getting back to winning ways. Let me also urge you all that beyond the recriminations, let's propose constructive ideas for critical reforms to rebuilding the party.
On this note, let me wish you all a prosperous new year and a merry Christmas.
Meanwhile watch what musician Beeztrap KOTM has to say about Detty December below:
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