The former Majority Leader in Parliament, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu has admitted that the perceived corruption and Akufo-Addo’s arrogance caused the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) defeat in the 2024 elections.
According to Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, the arrogance, corruption and the claimed hijack of the NPP primaries for Dr Mahamaudu Bawumia hindered many loyal supporters from voting in the December polls.
He noted that the NPP’s election review committee report on the Ashanti Region reveals that a vote for Dr Mahamudu Bawumia will be a vote for Akufo Addo to continue as president.
Speaking in an interview with Nhyira FM, Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu stated, “In 2017, when President Akufo-Addo assumed office, he visited Otumfuo, who told him that Ghanaians voted out John Mahama due to hunger and anger. He warned that if such a situation repeated itself, the NPP would lose the election”.
He further stated, “During our campaign tour, we would typically see large crowds filled with excitement, but this time, that enthusiasm was absent. That was when we realised we were in a tough battle, and I saw the warning signs.
But we still believed things could change. In fact, if the elections had been held in August instead of December, we would have secured at least 30% of the vote”.
“In 2008, when we lost, no one wanted to admit they had voted for the NDC. But this time, the defeat was massive. When we visit certain areas, people openly tell us why they refused to vote and assure us that if things improve, they will return. That is a good sign”, he detailed.
Meanwhile, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu in another interview confessed that he misses being a member of parliament.
According to Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, he misses parliament even though he remains actively engaged with its leadership.
He further noted that occasionally things come up that he feels if he was around he would have handled them differently.
Speaking in an interview on JOY NEWS, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu admitted, “Human as I am, I do miss Parliament”.
“Occasionally, things come up, and you think that, well, maybe if I were to be around, I would be doing things differently”, he added.
“But let me say that I also engage the leadership on both sides, and colleagues call when there are issues to test my mind on those matters,” he revealed.
Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu further added that so far, so good for the ninth parliament.
“And I think so far, so good—a few hiccups, though, that I thought shouldn’t have happened the way they did”, he added.
The NPP miserably lost the 2024 elections, according to the EC’s certified results, Mahama secured 6,591,790 votes, representing 56.42% of the total valid votes cast. His closest contender, Dr Bawumia of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), garnered 4,877,611 votes, representing 41.75%.
Additionally, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu, the chairman of the NPP manifesto committee has revealed that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) would have suffered a more miserable loss if the 2024 elections were held in August.
According to Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu, the NPP would have secured 30 per cent if the December polls elections had been held earlier that year.
He asserted that in August 2024 things were really difficult in the country.
Meanwhile, the Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin at JB Danquah’s 60th remembrance Service boldly declared the New Patriotic Party (NPP) will be back in the 2028 elections.
“Mighty minority, we shall be back 2028, we shall be back”, he stated.
