Member of Parliament for Okaikwei Central, Hon. Patrick Yaw Boamah, has urged the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to embrace a bottom-up approach in its processes of selecting a flagbearer for the 2028 presidential elections.
The NPP, he said, should also expand its electoral college as a crucial step towards its rejuvenation and securing victory in the next election.
His recommendations come at a time when the party is reflecting on its performance in the 2024 polls and strategising for the future, particularly concerning the selection of its next flagbearer.
Hon. Boamah emphasised the importance of internal party democracy, stating that a “critical look at the adoption of [a] top-down approach… will not help solve the current apathy the party is facing at the grassroots.”
Instead, he advocated for maintaining and strengthening the existing ‘bottom-up approach,’ which ensures the continued significant involvement of grassroots members, polling station executives, electoral area coordinators, and constituency executives in shaping the party’s direction.
According to him, a bottom-up strategy will ‘not only enhance ownership and legitimacy but also restore confidence in the democratic principles of the party.’
Hon. Patrick Boamah made the call in a position to the NPP titled, ‘A Position Paper on the New Patriotic Party’s Adoption of the Top-Down Approach for the Selection of Flagbearer,’ following the party’s recent decision on the matter.
A key recommendation he presented is to address voter apathy that engulfed the party during the 2024 general election by expanding the party’s electoral college.
According to him, as the founding democratic political party in the Fourth Republic, the NPP should commit to allowing all members in good standing to participate in all internal elections. While acknowledging the financial implications of such an expansion, Hon. Boamah proposed that ‘being in good standing must include the payment of membership dues. This will help generate funds to support this expensive exercise.
Hon. Boamah also stressed the need for strategic timing in the party’s internal processes. He recommended that the election of new party executives should precede the selection of the flagbearer.
The flagbearer is obviously going to work with the new executives during campaigns for the 2028 elections. It is therefore strategic to wait for the tenure of office of the current executives to elapse next year before electing the flagbearer,” he asserted.
Drawing on the foundational principles of the NPP, Hon. Boamah reminded the party of its commitment to ‘Property Owning Democracy’ and its historical reputation as a party of ‘intellectuals committed to democratic principles and national development,’ rather than one known for ‘propaganda and politics of insults.’
He called for a period of ‘serious introspection, self-examination and truthful feedback’ based on the 2024 election results. This, he argued, should form the bedrock for ‘short-term, medium-term and long-term structural reforms.
Hon. Boamah cautioned against hasty decisions in selecting a flagbearer for the 2028 elections, emphasising that the NPP’s ability to recover from the 2024 electoral setback hinges on its willingness to implement strategic reforms before electing a flagbearer.
He argued that ‘a good party structure will help elect a presidential candidate capable of winning national elections, whilst a weak party structure will produce a flagbearer capable of winning only at a delegates’ conference.’