Dr. Jonathan Asante Okyere, a political analyst, has advised the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to draw lessons from the National Democratic Congress (NDC)’s 2016 election defeat as they navigate their 2024 loss.
Speaking on Starr FM, Dr. Asante Okyere emphasized the importance of gathering data and understanding the underlying factors that contributed to the electoral defeat.
He cited the NDC’s approach after its 2016 loss, which involved the formation of a committee led by Professor Kwasi Botchwey.
In 2017, the committee’s report titled “Listening to the Voice of the Grassroots” attributed the NDC’s defeat to a weak research base. The report recommended measures to enhance critical thinking within the party to ensure future success.
“They [the NPP] should go the approach of the NDC, which involved Professor Kwasi Botchwey’s committee travelling across the nation, gathering information and data to understand the cause of their 2016 defeat,” Dr. Asante Okyere said.
He noted that this approach ultimately benefited the NDC, enabling them to regain lost ground by the 2020 elections and achieve significant parliamentary gains.
“One of the main reasons the NDC bounced back is because they learned from their mistakes. That process of reflection and strategy adjustment is what the NPP needs now,” he added.
Dr. Asante Okyere also identified internal issues within the NPP, such as multiple levels of internal elections, which he argued created animosity within the party.
“Every level of election creates some kind of animosity, within and without. Therefore, you are building up different animosities,” he noted.
He further suggested that the NPP should have allowed all interested candidates to contest without unnecessary restrictions, as these reviews may have alienated key party members.
“I’m very sure if they had not done that particular review some years back, and they had gone ahead with those who said they are interested, they want to contest, let them contest. And then whoever emerges, emerges,” he explained.
Dr. Asante Okyere’s remarks serve as a wake-up call for the NPP to undertake a comprehensive review of their performance, focusing on grassroots engagement and inclusive internal processes to rebuild the party for future elections.