President of IMANI Africa, Franklin Cudjoe, says the New Patriotic Party (NPP) will face a difficult task convincing Ghanaians ahead of the next general election, citing what he described as the “darkest” period of governance in the last eight years.
Speaking on the party’s ongoing presidential primary, Cudjoe noted that while the NPP appears eager to move forward by selecting a new flagbearer, the memories of its recent governance record remain fresh in the minds of voters.
According to him, even if the party emerges united after the primary, the burden of restoring public trust will be significant.
“The NPP has been looking forward to this [presidential primary], except that even if they contest the next election, it will be a higher barrier to cross because of the very fresh memory of the last eight years,” he said.
Cudjoe attributed the erosion of public confidence in the party to several factors, including what he described as economic mismanagement, persistent depreciation of the cedi, rising cost of living, political intolerance, and arrogance in governance.
He questioned whether any of the five presidential aspirants currently in the race could convincingly address the concerns of ordinary Ghanaians.
“While they look at this with some sort of nostalgia to select a different candidate, we, on the other hand, are very interested in asking questions. As to who among these five can take us to Nevana, if Nevana is supposed to be a good destination for good outcomes in our lives, lower prices, currency being managed well, peace of mind, no insults, no arrogance, those little things we expected in the last 8 years, and we never got.
“The 8-years were darker, but the last four years were darkest. We had no reason to do some of the things we did. There was complete anarchy, as if there was an absentee leader,” he noted.
Cudjoe suggested that while some supporters of the party may approach the primary with nostalgia for past successes, the wider electorate is more interested in accountability and concrete answers.
Using a metaphor to underscore his point, Cudjoe said the real test for the NPP aspirants is whether any of them can convincingly lead the country to a better destination marked by economic stability, good governance, and social harmony.
Reflecting on the party’s time in office, he described the eight years as deeply disappointing, particularly the most recent four years.
His comments come on the NPP’s presidential primary, amid growing public scrutiny over the party’s record in government and its plans for the future.
