Two senior figures in Ghana's New Patriotic Party, Joseph Cudjoe and Prof Mike Oquaye, are calling on the party's new national executives to work towards lasting discipline and unity. This comes after the party's recent national executive elections in Kumasi, which saw Kojo "Bamba" Fosu Boadu win the position of First National Vice Chairman. Cudjoe and Oquaye emphasized the need for the party to move beyond election unity and focus on building a stronger, more cohesive organization.
Joseph Cudjoe, former Effia MP and former Minister for Public Enterprises, took to Facebook to urge NPP members and leaders to treat loyalty and respect as everyday values, rather than something switched on only when votes are at stake. He challenged members to constantly check whether their public conduct builds up or tears down the party. Cudjoe called for members to compete fiercely for positions while still treating one another as family, disagreeing sharply but respectfully, and proving loyalty to the institution before seeking to lead it.
Prof Mike Oquaye, former Speaker of Parliament, gave a blunter assessment of what the newly elected executives face. He said the leadership's most immediate task is simply harmonizing the party's competing constituencies, including geographical branches, youth and women's wings, and other groups. Oquaye emphasized that this harmonizing work must go beyond rhetoric and produce concrete programmes to address concerns raised by young people and women within the party.
Oquaye pointed to what he called "non-liberal measures" taken under the current NDC government as an issue the new executives would need to confront. He argued that individual freedom underpins innovation and national progress. Oquaye also mentioned that the party's Council of Elders would soon meet the newly elected national executives to help align the party's various ideas and priorities under one agenda.
The NPP's national executive elections in Kumasi were part of the party's broader rebuilding effort after its 2024 election loss. Oquaye's committee was specifically tasked with dissecting the party's defeat. The reorganisation saw some surprise wins, including Kojo "Bamba" Fosu Boadu's election as First National Vice Chairman.
Separately, flagbearer Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has said the NPP intends to scout parliamentary candidates beyond the usual primaries process ahead of the 2028 elections. This suggests the party is already looking past internal contests toward the next general election. The party's efforts to rebuild and strengthen its organization are ongoing, with a focus on addressing internal rivalries and promoting unity.
The NPP's Council of Elders is expected to engage the newly elected national executives to reconcile competing priorities within the party. While no specific date for this meeting was given, it is clear that the party is taking steps to address its internal challenges and promote a more cohesive and effective organization.
Key points
- NPP members and leaders must treat loyalty and respect as everyday values.
- The party's leadership must harmonize competing constituencies and address concerns raised by young people and women.
- The NPP intends to scout parliamentary candidates beyond the usual primaries process ahead of the 2028 elections.
