The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Odeneho Kwaku Appiah, popularly known as COKA, has urged party executives to shift their attention from internal contests and premature parliamentary campaigns to rebuilding the party’s support base ahead of the 2028 general elections.
According to him, the NPP’s immediate challenge is not the battle over who should contest parliamentary seats but how to reconnect with voters who abandoned the party in the 2024 elections.
Addressing constituency executives in the Ashanti Region, COKA said the party must urgently identify the factors behind its significant electoral losses and work systematically to regain public confidence.
He noted that the NPP lost more than two million votes in the 2024 elections, with the decline reflected at various levels, from polling stations and electoral areas to constituencies and regions.
“Our core mandate is to trace where we lost those votes and re-engage those electors, rather than engaging in destructive internal rivalries,” he said.
Stop early parliamentary campaigns
COKA also directed constituency chairmen to discourage individuals from campaigning for parliamentary positions before the party officially opens nominations.
He expressed concern about party members who have already begun presenting themselves as “incoming MPs”, warning that such activities could create tension and undermine sitting legislators.
“As constituency chairmen, I charge you to halt the activities of individuals campaigning before the official time, ensuring that nothing is done behind the backs of incumbent MPs to make them feel insecure,” he said.
He stressed that sitting MPs need a stable party environment to concentrate on their legislative responsibilities and other demanding assignments.
“Our MPs need peace of mind to focus on their legislative mandates and difficult assignments,” he added.
Rebuild from the grassroots
The Ashanti Regional Chairman said the NPP’s path to a stronger showing in 2028 would depend largely on sustained grassroots engagement.
He urged constituency executives to reconnect with disgruntled party supporters and reach out to voters who stayed away from the polls during the 2024 election.
COKA said constituency chairmen must remain visible and active in their respective areas rather than waiting until the election season to mobilise supporters.
“You were elected by your constituents to lead and make the party attractive to the electorate,” he told the executives.
He further urged them to dedicate their efforts to expanding the party’s support base and rebuilding confidence among voters.
“Stay in your constituencies, remain visible, and dedicate your efforts to shoring up the NPP’s numbers for the upcoming general elections,” he said.
Logistics support
COKA thanked constituency chairmen for their support during the recent regional executive elections and assured them that the regional leadership would provide the necessary logistics and resources to help them discharge their responsibilities.
He maintained that a renewed focus on grassroots mobilisation, party unity and voter engagement would be critical to the NPP’s efforts to regain political power in 2028.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh/Isaac Justice Bediako
