The New Patriotic Party (NPP) does not reward poor performance with second chances, especially when it comes to choosing a flagbearer for national elections, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, former Member of Parliament and former NPP presidential aspirant, has said.
Speaking at Mampong in the Ashanti Region, where he had gone to mourn the late Mamponghene, Daasebre Osei Bonsu, Kennedy Agyapong emphasized that the NPP has a consistent tradition of backing candidates with strong electoral performance.
He cited the party’s historical records, pointing out that Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the party’s 2024 flagbearer, led the NPP into a general election with abysmal performance and should therefore not expect to be re-endorsed for another contest.
Kennedy Agyapong dismissed suggestions that the NPP has always given its presidential candidates more than one chance.
He referenced the example of the late Prof. Albert Adu Boahen, a pioneer in resisting military dictatorship and a significant figure in the re-emergence of multiparty democracy. Despite his stature and sacrifice for the party, Prof. Adu Boahen was not given another chance after leading the NPP in the 1992 elections.
In contrast, former Presidents John Agyekum Kufuor and Nana Akufo-Addo were given second chances due to their impressive showings in previous elections.
The former Assin Central lawmaker noted that Kufuor’s performance in 1996, despite having only a few months to campaign, earned him another chance in 2000.
This, according to Agyapong, reflects the NPP’s standard of performance.
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