channel247 online
Flagbearer-elect of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has attributed the party’s defeat in the 2024 general elections to internal challenges rather than voter gains by the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Speaking at a meeting with Minority Members of Parliament at his residence after winning the NPP presidential primaries, Dr Bawumia said an analysis of the election results shows that the NDC’s vote share remained largely unchanged from the 2020 elections.
According to him, the major setback for the NPP was voter apathy among its own supporters, noting that about 2.1 million party members failed to turn out to vote.
“If you analyse the data, you come to the conclusion that the problem was internal. The NDC’s votes did not change significantly. Their numbers were basically static. Our numbers were where the action took place,” he explained.
Dr Bawumia stressed that the situation makes the task of rebuilding the party less daunting than it appears, adding that re-engaging supporters who did not vote should be a key priority.
He further expressed confidence that the NPP can return to power by working closely with its parliamentary caucus, describing Parliament as the party’s “path to victory.”
Drawing parallels with Ghana’s political history, Dr Bawumia likened the current Minority in Parliament to the late 1990s Parliament, which played a crucial role in the NPP’s victory in the 2000 elections.
“You have done an excellent job holding this government’s feet to the fire. It doesn’t even appear that you are such a minority,” he told the MPs, while calling for closer collaboration and joint strategising going forward.
