
NPP presidential primary: Rebuild trust, provide equal opportunities for all - Political scientists urge NPP
The leadership of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) must work to rebuild trust, ensure equal opportunities for all aspirants, and address issues of exclusion ahead of the 2028 general election.
“Without such reforms, internal fractures risk undermining its chances in 2028 and beyond,” Dr Samuel Kofi Darkwa, a political scientist, has stated.
Speaking in an interview on a wide range of issues in the NPP, including the rising tension among the camps of the five presidential aspirants, he said, for the party to remain a credible political force, it must first heal its divisions.
“This means deliberate efforts at reconciliation, such as structured dialogue between rival camps, formal recognition of contributions from past leaders, and greater grassroots engagement to restore trust.
“The leadership gap must also be addressed urgently, possibly by appointing interim figures with broad acceptability until the chairman is able to resume his role,” he said.
Turbulence
Dr Darkwa noted that, for many observers, the wave of inflammatory comments was not unusual.
He observed that political parties that lose power often struggle to stay united, as disappointment and feelings of neglect come to the surface, stressing that “in the NPP’s case, the sense of exclusion runs particularly deep.
“Recently, former President John Agyekum Kufuor, for instance, admitted publicly that he felt sidelined after the party’s exit from government. Such remarks underscore a serious challenge: how to build a culture of inclusivity and ensure respect for past contributions,” he stated.
Dr Darkwa said the situation had been worsened by a leadership gap.
“Under the NPP’s constitution, the party chairman becomes leader when the party is in opposition. But the current chairman has been incapacitated for some time, leaving a vacuum at the top.
“Without clear leadership, factional rivalries have grown unchecked, adding to the instability,” he stated.
Blame game
Contributing to the discussion, a fellow of the Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), Dr John Osae-Kwapong, said when a party loses an election, part of the post-election angst was a search for reasons leading to their loss.
He said those who served in government often bore some of the blame, which was why, during party primaries, certain comments appeared divisive, even among members of the same political party.
He said what was happening in the NPP now, though intense and concerning, was not necessarily new.
Way forward
Dr Osae-Kwapong said while constant appeals to decorum were important, candidates must regularly remind their supporters that ultimately, the main political rival was the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and not their internal candidates.
“Party executives at all levels must also regularly engage in these reminders to their party supporters to always keep in mind that 'party first' should be their guiding principle,” he said.
He stressed the need for fairness to guide the national executives as they prepare for the primaries.
“This means in all their actions and rhetoric, there cannot be a semblance of favouritism for any particular candidate.
In an atmosphere of intense rivalry, the last thing party executives want to signal is a race skewed, whether real or perceived,” he stated.
He said he did not believe that the party was imploding, but what was happening was simply the nature of party primaries.
Dr Osae-Kwapong said there was a need for the party to have structures in place to resolve any grievances between now and the primaries, and especially after a candidate was selected.
“The last thing the party wants is a post-primary grievance that drags on.
It is at that stage where I would be very concerned about deepening party division,” he said.