Suhuyini warns NDC against complacency in government

Hamza Suhuyini, a member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) communication team, has cautioned his own party not to assume superiority and warned that signs of complacency could cost them power.

Speaking at the University of Media, Arts and Communication Political Lab event on Saturday, he argued that the NDC’s resurgence after the 2016 defeat was not due to inherent superiority but because the party used its time in opposition wisely.

“It is not because the NDC is a superior brand. It is not because when it comes to ideas, we are far better than any other political party in this country. It was simply because we had time on our hands and we used it effectively.”

Suhuyini contrasted this with what he described as the opposition New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) failure to learn from the NDC’s post-defeat unity efforts.

“From Day One, when His Excellency President John Dramani Mahama lost the 2016 elections, we went back to work. And sometimes when I listen to the NPP, I wonder whether they have lost sight of that blueprint of the National Democratic Congress.”

He noted that while the NPP appears to be “regrouping,” the NDC risks alienating its base by disconnecting from grassroots supporters.

“Unfortunately, we are not even holding titles in government. That’s how you get detached from the very people who gave you their mandate. This is how it starts. So when he made the statement that we have started losing it, it is a statement of fact. It’s not propaganda.”

Although Suhuyini declared his pride in the NDC, he stressed that Ghana’s democracy required more than a single dominant party.

“I sincerely do not think that the NDC alone winning elections in this country for ages is what this country needs. I believe that we need a very vibrant opposition party that is equally capable of taking over power from the National Democratic Congress.”

He urged the NPP to revisit its “blueprint of unity” rather than what he called a “top-bottom approach,” warning both major parties against losing sight of grassroots engagement.