Former Subin Member of Parliament and aspiring New Patriotic Party (NPP) General Secretary, Eugene Boakye Antwi, has called on the party to adopt a “one member, one vote” system to deepen internal democracy and strengthen its grassroots base.
Speaking on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem, Mr Boakye Antwi argued that expanding participation beyond delegates is essential if the NPP is to rebuild after its 2024 election defeat.
He acknowledged the important role delegates have played in the party’s history but said it is time to give ordinary card-bearing members a greater say.
“The Jimmy Heymann Committee recommended universal suffrage for party members back in 2009, and subsequent committees have also made similar recommendations.
“The party had a perfect opportunity to implement these reforms at the July 2025 National Delegates Conference in Legon after our 2024 performance, but we did not act,” he said.
Mr Boakye Antwi expressed disappointment over the delay, dismissing logistical challenges as an insufficient excuse.
“You cannot cite logistics as an excuse when the recommendation has been on the table for over fifteen years,” he stated.
Drawing on his own experience, he emphasised the importance of genuine grassroots politics.
“When I was selected as a candidate in June 2015, I travelled for three months, and when I returned in November, we went to every house, church, and mosque in Subin. People could feel that you were a grassroots person,” he noted.
“When I was selected as a candidate in June 2015, I travelled for three months, and when I returned in November, we went to every house, church, and mosque in Subin. People could feel that you were a grassroots person,” he noted.
He added that experience at the grassroots level is essential for effective leadership at the top.
“The experience you get from the ground, if you are able to bring it to the top, that is what makes you effective,” he said.
Reflecting on the NPP’s past success, Mr Boakye Antwi cited the 2016 election strategy as an example of strong preparation.
“We sat and said there cannot be an election where results are declared and, as a candidate, you cannot get your hands on your pink sheet,” he said.
On the party’s 2024 defeat, he was blunt about what he described as inadequate preparedness.
“What was our readiness? You do not go for elections just like that,” he said. “If you are a candidate or parliamentary candidate on the ground, you know where all the challenges can come from, so you prepare.”
He believes that adopting a “one member, one vote” system, alongside stronger polling station structures and youth engagement, should form the core of the NPP’s renewal agenda as it prepares for future elections.
Source: adomonline.com
