By: Kenneth Appiah Bani
Former President John Agyekum Kufuor, a founding father and towering figure of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has voiced deep disappointment over what he describes as a deliberate effort by the current leadership of the party to sideline him in key internal matters.
In a rare and emotional public statement, the two-term former president, who led Ghana from 2001 to 2008, disclosed that he has been excluded from recent party deliberations—particularly during critical moments surrounding the election of new national executives and the selection of the party’s 2024 flagbearer.
“I don’t understand why my own party, the NPP, has sidelined me,” Kufuor stated. “I’ve been in this party all these years, and I became president for two terms, from 2001 to 2008, but the system thinks it’s wise to ignore and sideline me.”
His comments come amid reported internal wrangling within the NPP over leadership direction, succession planning, and dwindling public confidence as the party prepares for the next general election.
Many political analysts see Kufuor’s remarks as a sobering reflection of the widening disconnect between the party’s current leadership and its veteran statesmen. The former president’s public outcry has already sparked debate across political circles, with party supporters and critics alike questioning the current administration’s approach to party unity and respect for legacy.
Kufuor, often regarded as one of Ghana’s most respected post-independence leaders, is known for his commitment to democratic governance, economic reform, and diplomacy. His tenure saw significant national and international strides in development, infrastructure, and democratic consolidation.
His exclusion from current party matters raises broader questions about how Ghana’s political parties treat their founding figures and whether experience and institutional memory are being adequately leveraged in times of transition and crisis.
As the NPP charts its course forward, the concerns raised by one of its most iconic leaders may serve as a wake-up call to reconcile divisions, re-engage its foundational pillars, and restore internal cohesion ahead of the 2028 general elections.
So far, the party leadership has not officially responded to Kufuor’s remarks.
Watch the video below:
