I am in a big shock over NPP's defeat in the 2024 election – Daniel Parker Odarlai

The Greater Accra Regional Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Daniel Parker Odarlai, has stated that he is still in shock following the party's defeat in the just-ended elections.

Speaking on Asempa FM on Friday, December 13, 2024, he said that he is still in shock over the party's unexpected defeat and cannot comprehend why, despite their efforts and strong grassroots support, the outcome was not in their favor.

“Seriously, I have pondered over the issue. The NPP’s defeat baffles me. I still don’t understand what happened. I want to congratulate all Ghanaians for a peaceful election. In elections, you don’t always win. I know many of our supporters are grieving over the loss. Indeed, no one anticipated this because of the support of the grassroots," he stated.

Daniel Parker wondered why the party failed to act on the feedback it received from the electorate during the campaign.

“I remember I told a colleague that the response we were receiving from the electorate in various communities was not encouraging. For instance, I recall when the NPP went to Abossey Okai, and the response was not encouraging at all. I also remember what Kennedy Agyapong said—that the NPP lost the election two years ago,” he noted.

Discussing the efforts of the party in Greater Accra, he emphasized the active involvement of all regional executives.

“During the election, all the regional executives in the Greater Accra Region were involved; they were on top of the work. At a point, I even told Jerry Ahmed to relax because he was overworking. But he was adamant because, according to him, the response on the ground was not encouraging. He didn’t take what he saw lightly, and no wonder he won the Weija-Gbawe seat.

“For me, it is a big shock, which is unexplainable. The Regional Chairman could even park his car and use a motorbike during the campaign,” he remarked.

Following the party's defeat in the election, a number of key figures within the party have criticized the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, noting that his leadership was a contributing factor.

The party's flagbearer, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia secured 41.61 percent of the total votes, whilst the President-elect, John Dramani Mahama, polled 56.55 percent to clinch victory.

JKB/BB

After the December 2024 polls, there have been security concerns across the country. Catch Etsey Atisu's interview with security analyst, Adib Saani, on Election Desk on GhanaWeb TV below: