3 Defeats in a Row Leave NPP in Shambles

The leadership of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) is facing growing criticism and internal turmoil following an unprecedented string of three consecutive electoral defeats.

After losing the crucial 2024 general elections, the party failed once again in the Ablekuma North re-run and most recently in the Akwatia by-election in the Eastern Region.

The once-dominant political force now finds itself in a precarious position, with political observers and supporters alike questioning whether the Danquah-Dombo-Busia tradition can recover anytime soon.

Adding to the party’s woes is what many describe as the “arrogance posturing” of some party executives and senior figures, who have yet to take collective responsibility for the party’s poor performance and its current disarray.

While the party has yet to conduct a post-mortem analysis of the Akwatia by-election—amid allegations of widespread vote-buying with yoghurt and plantain chips—there is mounting pressure from the grassroots for a total overhaul of the party’s leadership structure.

Many supporters argue that the current crop of executives is not fit for purpose and must be replaced ahead of the 2028 general elections. Some have even called for a ban on any sitting executive seeking re-election.

However, NPP General Secretary, Justin Frimpong Kodua, has pushed back against such criticisms.

Speaking on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem programme, Mr. Kodua urged party faithful not to view the Akwatia defeat as a reflection of what to expect in 2028.

“In every election, it is either you win or lose. The Akwatia seat is a swing constituency, and whichever party wins does so by a very small margin,” he explained.

According to him, the NPP went into the by-election fully aware of the odds stacked against them, especially in the wake of the unfortunate passing of sitting MP Ernest Kumi.

“For a party in government, the NDC campaigned mainly on development and told the people to vote for them based on that. That message helped them and influenced some parts of the constituency,” Mr. Kodua added.

Despite the loss, he claimed the 15,235 votes polled by the NPP candidate was a sign that the party remains strong in Akwatia.

“The 15,000 votes we had proved that the NPP is still very strong in Akwatia. I am very happy with the performance of our candidate and the support we received,” he said.

Mr. Kodua also commended the party’s parliamentary candidate, constituency executives, and other members for their hard work during the by-election campaign. He expressed gratitude for the peaceful nature of the election.

“This by-election will not bring us down. I want to thank our candidate, our constituency executives, and all the bigwigs who came to support us. Above all, we thank God for a successful by-election,” he stated.

He reiterated that the outcome should not be seen as a precursor to the 2028 general elections.

“This by-election is not a reflection of what will happen in 2028. We knew it was going to be a very difficult contest for us following the passing of our MP, Ernest Kumi, but the NPP has demonstrated great strength,” he emphasized.

According to certified results from the Electoral Commission, Bernard Bediako Baidoo of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) won the by-election with 18,199 votes, while the NPP’s Kwame Asumadu secured 15,235 votes.