Political scientist and longtime New Patriotic Party (NPP) member, Dr. Richard Amoako Baah, has criticized the party’s decision to embark on a nationwide “Thank You Tour” in the aftermath of its resounding defeat in the 2024 general elections.
Speaking on Kumasi-based Abusua FM, Dr. Amoako Baah with Breakfast political talk show host Kojo Marfo, he questioned the logic behind expressing gratitude to voters after what he described as a “colossal defeat” in both the presidential and parliamentary races.
According to him, the appropriate response should be a national apology tour, not expressions of thanks.
“When you lose this badly, you don’t go around saying thank you. Thank you for what? For not voting for us?” he asked rhetorically. “This is a time for reflection and humility not celebration’’ he told Kojo Marfo.
His comments follow the official launch of the NPP’s Thank You Tour at its national headquarters in Accra. The initiative, led by the party’s 2024 flagbearer and former Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, is set to begin on Saturday, April 26.
The tour is expected to take party executives across the country to engage with grassroots supporters and acknowledge their loyalty during the campaign period.
Dr. Bawumia, who was defeated by National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate and now-President John Dramani Mahama, led the NPP to one of its worst electoral outcomes in recent years, with the party also losing a significant number of parliamentary seats.
Despite the internal criticism, NPP Director of Communications, Richard Ahiagbah, defended the tour, arguing that it is part of a broader strategy to regroup and rebuild the party’s base.
“Our flagbearer has made it clear many of our supporters simply didn’t come out to vote,” Ahiagbah explained. “This tour is not just about saying thank you; it’s about re-engaging our base, addressing the challenges we faced, and setting a new tone for the party’s future.”
Dr. Amoako Baah, known for his candid assessments of the NPP’s internal dynamics, has consistently called for reforms and deeper introspection within the party.
He reiterated that without acknowledging its failures, the NPP risks alienating its core supporters.
As the NPP prepares to hit the road, the contrasting perspectives reflect the party’s ongoing struggle to reconcile with its electoral loss and chart a path forward.
The debate surrounding the Thank You Tour underscores deeper tensions within the NPP as it attempts to recover from a significant political setback.
While party leadership frames the initiative as a step toward renewal, critics like Dr. Amoako Baah insist that genuine reconciliation with the party’s base requires more humility and less ceremony.
Source: www.kumasimail.com
