I would like to first congratulate all the newly-elected NPP national officers for winning your respective highly competitive elections. It’s indeed an enviable feat to become a national executive of the New Patriotic Party. Kudos.
What has become the talk of town and the most shocking outcome of the 2022 annual delegates conference, is the truncation of the reign of a certain mighty John Boadu (JB) by a certain underdog, Justin Kodua Frimpong (JFK). Wow, what a shocker – one that has sent all tongues wagging.
Even though JB has lost, his legacy in NPP remains unmatched. A very shrewd politician, who has sacrificed and dedicated his entire life to the NPP. Having served in many capacities until the coveted General Secretary position, his wealth of experience will remain indispensable in the party’s quest to break the eight. That’s why I’m happy JFK has reached out to JB to bring him on board for the prosecution of NPP’s agenda 2024.
When it became tough in 2016, the most turbulent political storm ever in the history of the NPP, JB was the shield that fended off the storm, stemmed the tide, acted as National Organiser cum Secretary, and delivered the most emphatic victory in the history of Ghana, to the NPP. We won at a time nobody thought it was possible, and he delivered another victory to us in 2020. Such a general, who has won all exogenous battles, cannot be jettisoned ahead of the crucial 2024 battle.
It is clear, that, JB, while in office, might have advertently or inadvertently, stepped on some toes leading to his loss. This is an inevitable aspect of leadership which could have worked against JB. Also, looking at the growing annoyance of our grassroots against the elite ‘establishment’ in the party, who in the minds of the grassroots, have ‘used and dumped’ them, their perceived endorsement of JB was a bad omen for JB’s second bid.
In my opinion too, the endorsement by the regional chairmen, led by Wontumi, who has become unpopular, wasn’t very strategic and posed a huge setback to JB’s bid. This was also worsened by the ever-loquacious, but empty Kennedy Agyepong’s gratituous attack on JB. In his bid to look good in the eyes of unsuspecting ordinary members of our party, he accused the party officials, especially JB, of what could best pass for a nonsense joke. All because he wants to be ‘president’. As a typical populist, diabolic, and pretentious politician, it has always been his style to put others down in order to aggrandise and assert himself. Though, I know his attacks on JB were empty, I am not naive to think some gullible party folks didn’t take his word.
After cataloguing what in my opinion worked against JB, it’d be an unbalanced opinion if I don’t underscore the political masterclass of JFK. He presented himself as the youth’s favourite and succeeded in injecting a new sense of hope in the youth. Coming from a party which many believe only gives opportunities to the old stock, JFK was to be the shatter of that opinion. No wonder his campaign was owned, prosecuted, and executed primarily by the youth. I must admit, after working with JFK as a TESCON secretary while he was Ashanti regional youth organiser, that, he is a good man.
For me, as a party member, and an executive of the Germany branch of the party, my interest is that, JB must not be let go. He should be maintained in the party at a strategic position where we can continue to tap into his wealth of experience. Like the venerable Nana Ohene Ntow, I think JB should go to parliament. I have already seen many opinions in this direction, and I say, it’s a good call. JB has what it takes to win Assin Central seat. Nothing should stop JB from proceeding with this agenda, and whenever he does, I’ll surely avail myself to assist!
In the end, NPP won, and the legacy of JB can never be forgotten.
Alhajj Suleman
Dep Director of Communication
NPP Germany
