Former General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, says long-standing internal divisions within the NPP are rooted in unresolved grievances and a failure to consistently apply fairness in party leadership.
He made the remarks while responding to a question from Metro TV’s Nana Kwesi Kwetia during a question and answer session at the KAA for President 2028 Policy Day.
The Metro TV journalist asked Mr Agyepong what he believed was the root cause of the persistent divisions within the party, noting that many supporters see the NPP as deeply fractured.
Describing the question as an important one, Mr Agyepong said the cracks within the party did not emerge overnight.
“This didn’t start today,” he said. “Over the last ten years, there have been some deep-seated divisions in the party. That is something we cannot run away from.”
He argued that internal tensions thrive when party structures are perceived as unfair or selective in how decisions are taken and rules are applied.
“When we are running a political party, there should be equity, there should be harmony, and there should be quiet,” he said.
“When we are not selective in the way we apply ourselves to how parties are run, it gives everyone comfort.”
Mr Agyepong stressed that unity can only be rebuilt if party members subordinate personal interests to the collective identity of the NPP.
“At the end of the day, it is the elephant that matters,” he said. “It is the party that should be supreme, not individuals in the party.”
He reminded supporters that the NPP has survived multiple leadership transitions and would continue to exist long after current leaders exit the stage.
“Leaders will come and go. Dubois was here, he’s gone. Kufu was here, he’s gone. Kufu Addo was here, he’s gone. But the MPP still remains,” he said.
According to Mr Agyepong, restoring mutual respect and temperate language within the party is critical to healing the divisions and preparing for the 2028 elections.
“If all of us recognise that our primary responsibility and our loyalty should be to the elephant, we can heal the divisions and move forward,” he added.
The NPP presidential candidate hopeful has positioned himself as a unifier in the ongoing NPP flagbearer race, arguing that his long service within the party and non-confrontational approach give him credibility among competing factions.
