The Member of Parliament for Ofoase Ayirebi, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, says the New Patriotic Party (NPP) still has a lot of work to do following its recent presidential primaries, but believes the party is on the right path with ongoing reforms and growing signs of unity.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Monday, February 2, during a review of the NPP presidential primaries, the MP said the party is fully aware that significant work lies ahead.
He said the NPP has already begun a broad reform process, which was also highlighted by the party’s flagbearer, Dr Bawumia in his victory speech.
“We started off with the amendment of the Constitution. Now, we’ve done the early flag bearer election. We’re now going through a process of rebuilding our policy structures so that the party’s formulation of ideas for governance will be more open and more participatory than before,” he said.
He added that the party is also reorganising its structures from the polling station level up to the national level, following the creation of new offices under the revised constitution.
“We will be going through a process of refreshing our communications. So there’s a lot of work, but I think that we have a flag bearer who is, like he said, built for hard work, and he’s going to lead us to get that done successfully.”
When asked whether the party is moving from internal competition to cooperation now that the primaries are over, Mr Oppong Nkrumah said he is already seeing encouraging signs.
“First, I have that view. Second, I am seeing signs of it starting,” he said.
He cited the “very conciliatory messages” delivered at the party headquarters on Saturday night after the results were announced. He also revealed that some of the other contestants have since reached out to the flag bearer.
“I know for a fact that even yesterday, a number of the contestants reached out, and some even paid a visit to the flag bearer at his home to start the process of thinking through the things that need to be done,” he disclosed.
According to him, these early engagements are aimed at preparing the party for reorganisation and the 2028 general election campaign. However, he warned that unity should not be taken for granted.
“We cannot take it for granted or persuade ourselves that it is all done. It will have to be a continuous exercise, and it will reflect in how we behave towards one another going forward,” he said.
Mr Oppong Nkrumah explained that this was why the flag bearer urged party members to “celebrate in moderation” and to actively reach out to one another.
“We should reach out, phone calls, text messages, WhatsApp messages, even to those who have won and those who have not won, so that we can really oil the wheels of cooperation beyond the rhetoric,” he said.
Asked whether discussions have begun on the specific roles other candidates would play going forward, Mr Oppong Nkrumah said it was still too early.
“It’s early days yet. The first exercise is to oil the wheels of cooperation, heal the wounds, get organised under the National Council, and then plan how we thank all of the thousands of delegates across the country and rebuild.”
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