The Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Presidential Elections Committee, Joseph Osei Owusu, has issued a blunt assessment of his party’s current challenges, calling for a radical change in leadership style to restore discipline and unity.
Speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosiisen programme on Friday, January 23, 2026, the veteran legislator and former First Deputy Speaker of Parliament warned that the NPP is grappling with a serious discipline deficit, a situation he says is pushing loyal members into the camp of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Mr Osei Owusu, popularly known as Joe Wise, openly pointed to the NDC’s National Chairman, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, popularly known as General Mosquito, as an example of firm and effective party leadership.
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According to him, the NPP needs a National Chairman with a similar no-nonsense and consistent approach to rein in indiscipline and halt internal fragmentation.
“What I have seen myself is Asiedu Nketiah. He is the one who has made the party attractive. He doesn’t have to say it, but it is visible. If you are there and you want to misbehave, he will deal with you,” Joe Wise stated.
Joe Wise wants ‘General Mosquito’ in NPP
Asked whether the NPP requires a leader in the mould of General Mosquito to turn its fortunes around, he answered in the affirmative.
Joe Wise’s remarks come at a delicate moment for the NPP as it recovers from a difficult 2024 general election and prepares for its January 31, 2026, presidential primary.
He observed that persistent internal divisions have made the NDC appear more stable and attractive, particularly to frustrated party supporters.
“It got to a point where most people were leaving the party to join the NDC, and the numbers keep increasing. So maybe someone is attracting them,” he noted.
In a controversial twist, the NPP stalwart proposed that the party should abandon competitive elections for its National Chairmanship and instead adopt a search-and-appoint approach to identify a disciplinarian leader.
He singled out former Energy Minister Boakye Kyeremateng Agyarko, who has recently expressed interest in the National Chairmanship position, as the right person to restore order within the party.
“If Boakye Agyarko says he will lead the party, I will stop what I am doing and support him. He is the person who can bring the discipline and everything we need right now to bring everyone back to the party,” he said.
While Joe Wise’s proposal has already sparked internal debate, with critics arguing that bypassing elections undermines party democracy, he insists that discipline must take precedence over procedure at this critical stage.
“To bring the appeal back, we have to restore discipline. I believe that if we continue with elections, we won’t get the person we need at this time. We should search for the right person and put the party in their hands,” he stressed.