Dr. Afriyie Akoto, a former Minister of Agriculture and flag bearer candidate for the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), has expressed worry about the party’s internal flaws, which he believes are making the party unpopular in Ghana.
Dr. Akoto likened the current infighting of the NPP to being on a “sick hospital bed.”
However, he acknowledged the achievements chalked under the Akufo-Addo-led government in its maiden term and reiterated that despite the government’s performance, the masses seemed unwilling to vote for the NPP come 2024.
In an interview with Bola Ray on Starr Chat, he said, “The first term of the Akufo-Addo government, we did extremely well, and if after that term we go to the people of Ghana to renew our mandate, and they nearly sacked us, then you have to face the reality that there is something wrong.”
Dr. Akoto reacted to questions about the political landscape, particularly the closely contested parliamentary situation, which has witnessed fierce ties in Parliament under the Fourth Republic, with 137 seats held by the NPP and 137 by the opposition, respectively.
Dr. Akoto indicated that the NPP’s presidential votes over former President Mahama exceeded one million votes in 2016, but the wider margin was significantly dwindled in the 2020 elections.
He likened the NPP to a patient in a hospital, stressing that it’s not in a coma but is unfit.
He made inferences from his previous diagnosis, noting that the sick condition of the party had played a tremendous role in the predicament they faced in the 2020 elections.
