We are still mesmerised by the results of the 2024 Election – Justin Frimpong Kodua

The General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Justin Frimpong Kodua, has stated that the party is still mesmerised by the outcome of the 2024 general election.

Speaking on Ekosiisen on Asempa FM on Tuesday, January 14, 2024, he admitted that despite their extensive preparations, the results were unexpected.

"The party adopted a rigorous approach to selecting parliamentary candidates, but the outcome was not what we anticipated. Before I assumed the role of General Secretary, one of the major challenges the party faced was the imposition of parliamentary candidates in certain constituencies during the 2020 elections," he said.

He explained that this motivated the party to ensure that such issues were not repeated in the 2023 and 2024 primaries.

“We were determined to prevent a repeat of what happened in 2020. We ran one of the most transparent and efficient parliamentary primaries in the history of the party. There were no reports of chaos in any constituency. Normally, after parliamentary primaries, people raise concerns about the album, but we even set up an Album Validation Committee to minimise incidents of violence.

"Even parliamentary candidates and Members of Parliament in the 8th Parliament admitted they received enormous support from the party during the 2024 election. Still, we are mesmerised by the results of the 2024 Election," he added.

The General Secretary of the NPP noted that voter apathy and other factors also influenced the party's performance.

"What caused us to lose many seats in Parliament? The elections were free and fair. Our parliamentary candidates were not imposed on the people, and the primaries were transparent.

"The candidates themselves attest to this. I have been trying to find answers to this lingering question as to what really happened," he lamented.

Reflecting further, he said, "In every election, either the parliamentary candidate pulls the presidential candidate along or vice versa.

"But this time, it was weird; it broke all known historical principles and analysis to the extent that voter apathy affected both parliamentary and presidential elections. The parliamentary candidates were very popular, and in some constituencies, we were confident of winning."

He attributed part of the party's poor showing to the impact of certain government policies.

"Apart from voter apathy, government policies, whether positive or negative, affect the party. Despite the track record of the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo led government, we lost.

"I’ve also realised that indebtedness to beneficiaries of programs like Youth in Afforestation and School Feeding program, which employed thousands, affected the party. Imagine if all these people and their beneficiaries were angry at the government, it was definitely going to hurt our chances," he said.

Justin Kodua was hopeful that the committee that has been established by the party to investigate the party’s loss in 2024 general election

will provide clarity.

The committee has been given three months to complete its work and report back to the National Council of the party.

The former President John Dramani Mahama made a historic return to office after a fiercely contested race on December 7, 2024.

He secured 6,591,790 votes, representing 56.42 percent of valid votes cast, while his closest competitor, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), received 4,877,611 votes, accounting for 41.75 percent.

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) also secured a majority in Parliament, winning 183 seats while the NPP won 88 seats, with one seat still outstanding.

JKB/AE

Watch a compilation of the latest Twi news below: