Ghana’s Minority Leader, Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, has commended the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for what he described as a remarkable transformation that has made the party increasingly popular among students across the country
Speaking at a public forum, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) legislator recalled a time when identifying with the NDC on campus was viewed almost as a taboo. He noted that, historically, students overwhelmingly aligned with the NPP and proudly embraced its tradition.
“Back in the day at Cape Vars [University of Cape Coast], it was difficult for any student to openly associate with the NDC,” Afenyo-Markin said. “If you wanted to contest for student leadership and your opponents managed to tag you as NDC, you would almost certainly lose.”
He recounted how his own cousin lost a bid for Casford Hall president after opponents linked him to the NDC. According to him, even the mere sight of his cousin speaking to someone in an NDC-branded vehicle was enough to fuel damaging propaganda that swung the outcome of the election.
The Minority Leader argued that the NPP’s dominance among students was once so strong that it was taken for granted, while the NDC, despite facing hostility on campuses, persisted and ultimately rebranded itself to win support.
“The NDC did not give up; they went through a process of rebranding that made them attractive to students,” he observed. “Today, students are able to say proudly, ‘I am NDC,’ something that was unthinkable years ago.”
Afenyo-Markin further suggested that the NDC’s tertiary education network, TEIN, may now rival or even surpass the influence of TESCON, the NPP’s long-established student wing.
His comments come at a time when both major political parties are intensifying efforts to court the youth vote ahead of future elections.
