A former General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr John Boadu, has formally declared his intention to contest of the party’s national chairmanship position.
The decision to contest for the key national position, according to the former General Secretary, was made after broad consultation with NPP faithful.
“After broad consultations with founding fathers, Council of Elders, Party executives, Patrons, Nasara, Women’s wing, Youth wing, Foot soldiers, and Opinion leaders; upon sober reflections, and prayerful consideration of where our Party stands today and where it must go, I, John Boadu, wish to officially declare my intention to contest for the position of National Chairman of the New Patriotic
Party in 2026 when the nomination for National leadership is opened,” Mr John Boadu declared at a media briefing.
State of NPP
Giving more reasons why he is joining the race, Mr John Boadu noted that the NPP has come far, but still at a critical crossroad that demands a leadership that will take the party back to its winning ways.
He said the NPP, while in opposition, must reflect on its journey and admit that it has lost touch with many vital stakeholders that once stood firmly with the party.
“We have lost our media relationship, our youth support base, and the confidence of many within the business community.
“We have drifted away from the middle class, tertiary students, academicians, Chiefs, the clergy, trade unions, celebrities, opinion leaders, and groups that once proudly carried the NPP flag.
“Our parliamentary strength has weakened; our strength that stood at 122 in 2012, 169 in 2016, and 137+ 1 in 2020 has now declined to 87 seats, representing 31.5%, and this calls for great concern,” Mr John Boadu pointed out.
Rampant arrests
According to the former NPP General Secretary, the rampant arrests of NPP faithful, the culture of silence imposed by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government, and the punitive bail conditions against the opposition party members are worrying signals.
“It is incredibly sad and deeply worrying to see many of our vibrant youth, who once had job opportunities under the NPP administration, being dismissed from their jobs, contracts unfairly terminated, and livelihoods disrupted,” Mr John Boadu bemoaned.
NPP must return to power
Former General Secretary said the only true way to restore the hope and confidence of these aggrieved Ghanaians is for the NPP to win back power.
“Only through victory can we rebuild opportunities for our people and secure the dignity of Ghanaians,” he added.
These realities on the ground, Mr John Boadu emphasised, demonstrate that the NPP cannot afford to stay in opposition for long.
“I passionately believe, there is hope for restoration, not rhetorics. And that hope rests in a leader with a proven track record, tested experience and the unmatched ability to deliver results- just as it is written in Psalm 89:20, ‘I have found David my servant; with my sacred oil I have anointed him,’ and in Isaiah 58:12-13, ‘Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age old foundations, you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of streets with dwellings,” Mr John Boadu quoted, saying, “So shall I become for our great Party- through a servant who has been tried, tested and anointed to rebuild and restore the NPP to victory.”
John Boadu’s record in service
The former General Secretary highlighted his record in winning elections and empowering party structures.
He said together with other regional and national executives as well as individuals and volunteer groups, the NPP achieved unprecedented milestones in the political history of the party including;
- The highest number of votes ever achieved in Ghana’s political history,
6.7 million votes in 2020 were achieved under my watch as General Secretary and Director of Operations.
- The two highest numbers of votes ever achieved in NPP’s history are 2016, million votes, and 2020, 6.7million votes. These were achieved by John Boadu as the Director of Operations and General Secretary
- The two highest numbers of parliamentary seats ever won by the NPP since 1992 were in 2016, 169 seats and 137seats in 2020 under my tenure.
- The two highest electoral margins ever recorded by the NPP in 2016 (985,000 votes) and 2020 (517,000 votes)—were achieved under my operational leadership.
- The NPP became the first political party in Africa to collate its own election results in record time, within 18 hours in 2016 and just 6hours in 2020- an achievement realised under my leadership.
- The Pink Sheet Tracking System, a groundbreaking electoral innovation in Ghana’s Politics, was pioneered by me.
- And for the first time in our Party’s history, monthly subventions were sent to every constituency and region, a reform I personally initiated and implemented.
According to Mr John, Boadu, these achievements are not coincidences; they are the results of hardwork, experience, dedication, and tested leadership.
“In the coming days, I will present a comprehensive document, one that captures my journey, my achievements, and my vision to rebuild and restore our great Party to power.
“This vision will speak directly to the heart of every patriot; Our founding fathers, Council of Elders, Our MPs, Our
former appointees, our youth, Tescon, party officers, Nasara, women, people with disabilities, external branches, opinion leaders, business partners, creative arts, academicians, market women, party bloggers, and the media.
“The 2028 elections will be one of the most critical in Ghana’s political history.
“It will test the resilience of the NPP, the strength of our structures, and our ability to regroup, reorganise and unite our base.
“At this decisive moment in our party’s journey, we cannot afford to gamble with leadership.
“What the Party needs now is experience, stability, and a leader who is tried, tested, tolerant, a grassroots man, not bitter and driven by a results-oriented vision- a leadership that can unite all factions, rebuild, and restore our great Party to power. We may be going through challenging times now, but this storm will surely pass. Together, we shall make NPP great again, and we will win the 2028 elections,” Mr John Boadu concluded.
