Prominent New Patriotic Party (NPP) member, Boakye Agyarko, has raised concerns over the ongoing reform discussions within the party following its defeat in the 2024 elections.
In his article titled “Taking Our Party Back—Step One,” Agyarko reflected on the growing calls for change and shared his thoughts on the party’s challenges and opportunities as it seeks to rebuild.
“The clarifying effects of Election 2024 are now manifesting themselves,” Agyarko wrote, acknowledging the heightened demand for change. “There is now a clarion call for various actions and steps to be taken to ‘rescue’ our party, the NPP.
Some are demanding that ‘we take our party back.’” He welcomed the ideas emerging from these calls but cautioned against uncoordinated efforts.
“We must properly gather all [these ideas] together and arrange them to avoid a haphazard and incoherent set of knee-jerk reactions.”
Reflecting on the aftermath of the NPP’s earlier losses, Agyarko warned against repeating mistakes from the past. He pointed to 2009, describing it as a period when a “grand conspiracy” led to the party being “put in the hand of one man, creating a ‘Caesar.’”
According to him, this contributed to setbacks that still linger within the party. “The current clamour, in my mind, seeks to undo the effects of ‘Caesar’ on the fortunes of our party,” he explained, urging members to proceed cautiously and diligently in their search for restoration and healing.
Agyarko emphasized the need for the party to critically assess its leadership choices and future direction. “We may have a clear idea as to who we are taking our party from,” he said.
“But we must be very sure of whose hands we seek to put the party. We must strive to avoid the situation where we repose total trust and confidence in one man who will then seize the party and treat it as if it were his personal property.”
He underscored the risks of consolidating power in a single individual, warning that such actions could harm the party’s collective vision.
The former minister also addressed the broader framework of political organization within the NPP.
He highlighted the need to build a party rooted in shared values and national development goals rather than one dominated by factions or individuals prioritizing personal gain.
“We must ensure that our efforts this time around create a party of like-minded men and women in pursuit of building a nation for the benefits of all,” he stated.
“People who forget their history keep making the same mistakes and keep having to start over rather than being able to build upon the wisdom and the accomplishments of the past.”
