A political science lecturer at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Dr. Richard Amoako Baah has expressed concern about the potential rise of independent candidates and internal divisions within the New Patriotic Party following the party’s parliamentary primaries on Saturday, January 27, 2024.
He asserted that if the situation is not resolved, it will pose a huge threat to the governing New Patriotic Party’s unity as the country prepares for the general elections in December 2024.
Dr. Amoako Baah said this following the loss of twenty-eight incumbent NPP Members of Parliament, blaming the impending division on what he perceives as unfair treatment of losing candidates.
According to him, such perceived injustices may prompt dissatisfied individuals to run as independent candidates, undermining the party’s internal coherence.
“Anyways, it is not good for the party as the division continues. If candidates who lost think your party didn’t treat you right, are you going to keep supporting your party in the upcoming general elections? Think the things that have happened in the past have disseminated the party and it continued in the just-ended parliamentary primaries,” he posited.
Dr. Amoako Baah also stated that if the various candidates consider they have been badly treated by the party, the probability of them continuing to support the ruling party in the general elections may decrease dramatically.
According to him, influential party figures’ support of newcomers could exacerbate disunity in the New Patriotic Party, with political endorsements potentially leading to disaffection among incumbent MPs who lost their bids.
“Now it does not matter how long you have been with the party; if you ran against a candidate who has the support of the Vice President, then you have lost,” he said.
While noting the uncertainties surrounding Vice President Bawumia’s capacity to restore party support, Dr. Amoako Baah hinted at the importance of financial resources in Ghanaian politics.