The Greater Accra Regional Second Vice Chairman of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Eric Nartey Yeboah, has attributed the party’s heavy defeat in the 2024 general elections to the centralization of power under former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and his inner circle.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with Classfmonline.com, Mr. Nartey Yeboah argued that the concentration of authority in the hands of the former President and his family cabal sidelined the party’s leadership and played a significant role in the NPP’s electoral loss.
He explained that the former President and his inner circle wielded power as though the party did not play a role in electing him.
According to Mr. Nartey Yeboah, this approach alienated the party from key decision-making processes, as most decisions were made solely at the Presidency without consulting party leadership.
The NPP executive further revealed that some of the President’s appointments, coupled with the perceived arrogance of some appointees, ultimately led to the party’s downfall.
He noted that several of these appointees respected only the appointing authority, disregarding the party that brought the appointor to power.
Mr. Nartey Yeboah cited the appointment of Opoku Ahweneeeh Danquah at the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) as an example.
He claimed that Danquah, believed to be a nephew of the Executive Secretary to the former President, returned to his base in London after the NPP lost power, highlighting the lack of commitment to the party’s cause.
“These are people who did not play a role in the formation of the party, yet they were given juicy appointments and never served the party’s interests,” he remarked.
He further expressed mixed feelings about the party’s defeat, emphasizing the need for the current leadership, under Stephen Ntim, to reclaim power by prioritizing party structures.
He noted that many appointees who received key positions during the former President’s administration did not respect the party’s laid-down principles.
“If things had been done properly, in line with the party’s principles, individuals like Ernest Owusu Bempah would not have been appointed as Deputy Director of Communications,” Mr. Nartey Yeboah stated.
He reiterated that it is now the responsibility of the party leadership to restore the NPP’s strength and ensure that the party’s core values are upheld going into the 2028 elections.
He called on party supporters to distance themselves from appointees who are found culpable by the National Democratic Congress administration.
They did what they did in their individual capacities, not in the interest of the party, he concluded.
-Classfmonline
