Former President Akufo-Addo Eyes NPP Comeback Through Legacy Building

Former President Nana Akufo-Addo declared Friday that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) will reclaim power in 2028 by leveraging the governance achievements of his administration and that of former President John Agyekum Kufuor.

Speaking at the commissioning of the newly constructed Bantama Constituency office on Friday, September 19, Akufo-Addo stated that the NPP’s achievements under his leadership and that of former President Kufuor will enable the party to win the 2028 elections.

The former president’s confidence comes nine months after the NPP suffered a devastating electoral defeat, losing both the presidency and parliamentary majority to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) led by John Dramani Mahama. Turnout was relatively low at 60.9% (approximately 18.8 million votes), a sharp drop from the 79% turnout in the 2020 election.

Akufo-Addo criticized the current administration’s performance, telling party faithful that national conditions have deteriorated under President Mahama’s leadership. He urged NPP members to maintain unity as they prepare for what he characterized as a determined return to power.

The Bantama constituency office commissioning featured prominent party figures including Member of Parliament Francis Asenso-Boakye, who serves as the constituency’s representative. Asenso-Boakye is a member of the New Patriotic Party and was the deputy Chief of Staff and Political Assistant to Akufo-Addo during his presidency.

Asenso-Boakye garnered 650 votes, commanding an impressive 78.22% in the party’s primary elections before retaining his parliamentary seat, though the NPP lost its overall majority.

The former president’s optimism contrasts with recent party soul-searching following their electoral defeat. Asenso-Boakye has urged the NPP leadership to learn from the outcome of the 2024 elections, attributing the NDC’s victory to widespread dissatisfaction with the New Patriotic Party.

Political analysts have attributed the NPP’s 2024 defeat to multiple factors including economic challenges, internal party divisions, and voter fatigue after eight years in power. A post-mortem revealed that Akufo-Addo’s refusal to reshuffle his Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, and deepening party factionalism were key factors in the party’s downfall.

The Kufuor legacy that Akufo-Addo referenced spans from 2001 to 2009, when the NPP first governed Ghana under the Fourth Republic. That administration is credited with economic stability programs, infrastructure development, and the introduction of the National Health Insurance Scheme.

Akufo-Addo’s own presidency from 2017 to 2025 included initiatives such as the Free Senior High School policy, Planting for Food and Jobs, and the One District One Factory program. However, his second term was marked by economic challenges including high inflation, currency depreciation, and ultimately an International Monetary Fund bailout.

The newly commissioned Bantama office represents part of the NPP’s infrastructure rebuilding efforts as the party transitions into opposition. Bantama constituency in the Ashanti Region remains a traditional NPP stronghold, making it strategically important for party organizing activities.

Ghana’s next presidential election is scheduled for December 2028, giving the NPP four years to rebuild its political machinery and address the internal challenges that contributed to its recent electoral defeat. The party has not yet selected its flagbearer for the upcoming electoral cycle.

The former president’s confidence reflects the NPP’s belief that Ghanaians will eventually tire of NDC governance and seek change, similar to the electoral cycles that have characterized Ghana’s Fourth Republic since 1992.

Opposition parties in Ghana typically use their time out of power to reorganize, select new leadership, and develop policy alternatives that appeal to voters seeking change from incumbent administrations.