Former Subin Member of Parliament, Eugene Boakye Antwi, has attributed the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) electoral defeat in the 2024 general elections to a failure by the party’s leadership to heed the voices of ordinary Ghanaians.
Speaking candidly on Channel One TV’s Face to Face with Umaru Sanda Amadu on Tuesday, July 1, the outspoken former legislator revealed that many within the party saw the defeat coming due to growing public dissatisfaction that was largely ignored by decision-makers.
“Some of us were not surprised by the loss,” he said. “In politics, when you stop listening to the people, they will punish you at the ballot box. That’s exactly what happened to us.”
Boakye Antwi’s comments come amid ongoing internal soul-searching within the NPP following the party’s unexpected loss of power after two terms in office. His remarks underscore a growing chorus of voices within the party calling for reflection and reform.
He also provided a critical review of former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s administration, suggesting that while the first term showed strong governance, the second term was plagued by complacency and internal disunity.
“Between 2018 and 2020, we saw the most productive years of Nana Akufo-Addo’s presidency. The drive to win re-election brought cohesion and seriousness. But after securing the second term, things began to fall apart,” he observed.
Boakye Antwi lamented that the absence of electoral pressure in the second term led to a dip in performance and ultimately contributed to voter disillusionment.
“In the second term, when the President knew he wouldn’t contest again, there was less caution, less accountability. And that loss of focus cost us dearly,” he added.
The former MP’s comments are likely to resonate in both NPP grassroots circles and broader national discourse, as political parties begin positioning themselves for the 2028 elections. His call for leaders to stay connected to public sentiment serves as a cautionary tale for future administrations.
