A former Member of Parliament for Subin, Eugene Boakye Antwi, has declared his intention to contest for the General Secretary position of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), outlining what he calls a “UNITE agenda” to rebuild the party ahead of the 2028 elections.
Speaking on Good Afternoon Ghana on Metro TV on Thursday, March 12, Eugene Boakye Antwi said the party must focus on unity, renewal and strong organisation after its defeat in the 2024 elections.
“The future of the party going forward must be built on unity, renewal and strong organisation,” he said. “Every internal election is both a decision and a direction.”
According to him, the party has already made a decision by electing former Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia as flagbearer, but must now choose leaders capable of reorganising the party and preparing it to return to power.
“The decision has been made vis-a-vis the election of his excellency the former vice president Dr Alhaji Mahmood Bawumia,” he said. “Now the direction is what brings me here today.”
Mr Boakye Antwi said his campaign is anchored on the UNITE agenda, which stands for uniting the party, nurturing grassroots structures, innovating party operations, and training and expanding leadership.
“The U means to unite the party and rebuild trust within our ranks,” he explained. “The N means to nurture the grassroots structures that form the foundation of our great party.”
He added that the party must also modernise its operations to keep up with the changing political environment.
“We cannot be doing the things that were done years ago. Those days there were no WhatsApps, no Facebooks, no Twitters. We live in a 24-hour media space where something happens and you have to deal with it,” he said.
Boakye Antwi argued that the NPP must focus on regaining the trust of voters, noting that the party’s ultimate goal is to win national elections, not just internal contests.
“The final destination is the Jubilee House and not the party’s primaries,” he said.
“The flagbearer must be accepted or approved by the Ghanaian people.”
He also raised concerns about the party’s performance in the 2024 elections, describing the outcome as a signal that the party must reassess its direction.
“If you have over two million people not voting in a crucial election of 2024, then obviously there’s something wrong,” he said.
“The verdict of the 2024 elections is captured in the results. I don’t think it’s anything to write home about.”
According to him, rebuilding the party’s structures and reconnecting with grassroots supporters will be critical to winning back power.
“My goal is to help reorganise the party, reconnect with the grassroots and modernise the way the party operates,” he said.
The former lawmaker also revealed that he had paid courtesy calls on former Presidents John Agyekum Kufuor and Nana Akufo-Addo to formally inform them of his decision to contest the position.
“There’s no way I was going to go for such a sensitive position in the party without informing them,” he said.
Boakye Antwi believes the party’s next General Secretary must be someone capable of restoring discipline and rebuilding confidence among supporters.
“The office of the general secretary is the engine room of the party,” he said.
“When that engine room is disciplined, organised and forward-looking, the entire party becomes stronger and better prepared for elections.”
He insisted that the NPP must rebuild unity within its ranks if it hopes to regain power.
“The soul of the party is somewhat broken,” he said. “We need somebody who can unite the party and restore the confidence of the Ghanaian people.”
Source: metrotvonline.com
