Leading member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and former CEO of the National Petroleum Authority, Dr Mustapha Abdul-Hamid has expressed unwavering confidence in the party’s achievements despite their defeat in the 2024 general election.
Speaking during the NPP’s ongoing Thank You Tour, Dr Abdul-Hamid urged party members not to be disheartened by the loss, emphasizing that the party’s ambitious goal to “Break the 8”, a slogan aimed at securing a third consecutive term and breaking Ghana’s eight-year political duopoly between the NPP and the National Democratic Congress (NDC)—was a bold attempt to achieve the unprecedented.
“Tell yourself the truth, why were you saying ‘Break the 8’? Because you knew it has never happened before. You were trying to do the impossible,” Dr Abdul-Hamid said.
He argued that the party should not be hard on itself for failing to accomplish what he described as a formidable challenge, especially since no first-time presidential candidate has ever won an election in Ghana’s Fourth Republic.
The NPP’s candidate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, lost to the NDC’s John Mahama, who secured 6,328,397 votes (56.55%) against Bawumia’s 4,657,304 (41.61%) on December 7, 2024, as declared by the Electoral Commission.
Dr Abdul-Hamid dismissed feelings of regret or blame within the party, stating, “Walaahi, I am not beating myself, I understand it. I am not upset, and I don’t think anybody is responsible for anything.”
Quoting Bob Marley, he added, “He who fights and runs away, lives to fight another day. In our case, we didn’t fight and run away, we fought, and we are here, and we are fighting again.”
He contrasted his stance with other party leaders who have taken a more apologetic tone, noting, “The general secretary and others are nice guys, but I am not a very nice guy. They might say they are sorry, but walaahi, I am not sorry about anything.”
He expressed strong pride in the NPP’s record, asserting that no policy implemented by the party warrants regret.
“We did our best for this country, and there is nothing that John Mahama will do that will match up to what we have done. Nothing, walaahi, nothing,” Dr Abdul-Hamid declared.
He criticized the current NDC administration under President Mahama, pointing to what he described as chaotic governance, including frequent changes in appointments.
“Look, already see what is going on in governance. They appoint a chief executive one day, replace them the next,” he remarked, citing instability in leadership at institutions like the Tema Oil Refinery.
Dr Abdul-Hamid’s comments come as the NPP reflects on its electoral loss, which saw the NDC not only win the presidency but also secure a historic parliamentary majority with 183 seats compared to the NPP’s 88.
The party’s defeat has been attributed to voter dissatisfaction with issues such as the rising cost of living, corruption allegations, and a debt crisis, which Dr Bawumia, the party’s flagbearer himself, acknowledged stemmed from the party’s failure to listen to Ghanaians and address concerns like the e-levy and haircut policies.
Despite this, Dr Abdul-Hamid remains defiant, urging party members to stay united and prepare for future battles, drawing on his experience as an opposition member since 1991-92 to emphasize resilience.
The Thank You Tour is part of the NPP’s efforts to regroup and rebuild following the 2024 election loss.
Source: ghanaweb
