NPP’s new leaders led party into ‘micro minority’ in Parliament – NDC’s Abeiku Hayford

National Democratic Congress (NDC) Deputy General Secretary hopeful, Ing. Abeiku Hayford, has questioned the political renewal being projected by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) following its national elections.

Speaking on KESMI 107.1 FM in Tamale during the morning show on Monday, October 5, 2026, Mr Hayford said several of the newly elected NPP executives were familiar faces who had previously played significant roles in the party and government.

He said the focus should not only be on who won the various positions but also on what the new leadership would bring to the party ahead of the 2028 general elections.

“What has really changed?” Mr. Hayford asked, arguing that simply changing positions within the party did not amount to changing the party itself.

“You cannot just change somebody’s position and say you have changed the party,” he said.

Mr. Hayford cited the retention of Justin Frimpong Kodua as General Secretary as an example of the continuity within the NPP’s new leadership. He noted that Mr. Kodua was already General Secretary during the 2024 general elections.

According to Mr. Hayford, the NPP under that leadership suffered a major electoral setback in 2024, losing the presidential election and a significant number of parliamentary seats and becoming what he described as a “micro minority” in Parliament.

“If the same people are coming back, what is the new strategy?” he asked.

Mr. Hayford said many of the newly elected executives were not new to NPP leadership or governance and had records that Ghanaians were already familiar with.

“I don’t see the kind of political renewal they are trying to present,” he said.

He said the NPP had the right to reorganise and rebuild after its 2024 defeat but would have to convince Ghanaians that it had learnt from the election and had something different to offer.

Mr. Hayford also cautioned the NDC against becoming complacent following its victory in the 2024 election.

He said the governing party must continue to strengthen its grassroots structures, remain connected to the electorate and focus on delivering on its promises ahead of 2028.

“Politics can change very quickly,” he cautioned, stressing that the NDC must continue working even as the NPP reorganises in opposition.

On allegations of inducement and vote-buying raised by some defeated NPP aspirants, Mr Hayford said the claims should not simply be dismissed because they were coming from within the party.

“These allegations are coming from their own people,” he said.

He stressed that the NPP’s internal concerns were for the party to resolve, while the NDC’s responsibility was to remain focused on its own work.

“Their work is to fix their house; our work is to keep our own house in order,” Mr Hayford said.

He maintained that the 2028 election would ultimately be about what political parties had done and what they were offering voters.

“People will not vote simply because somebody held a beautiful delegates conference. They will look at what you did, what you achieved and what you are offering them,” he said.