The former National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Freddie Blay, has shared insights into the party’s defeat in the 2024 elections, revealing that the NPP struggled with low voter turnout, even among its own members.
“Our members told us they wouldn’t vote. They’ve been angry for a long time, and in our instance, it happened. I could see it firsthand. We had to persuade them, but unfortunately, they didn’t come out to vote” Mr. Blay said in an interview on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen programme Monday.
Mr. Blay explained that, the NPP faced significant challenges in mobilizing its own supporters to vote.
“We had to persuade some of them to come, but they didn’t show up. That’s why there was such a low turnout, which contributed to our loss,” he added.
The former NPP Chairman also acknowledged that the difficult economic situation played a role in the party’s defeat.
“The economy struggled, and many people, especially the youth, were unemployed. Business people were also feeling the pinch and blaming the government. People expected the government to improve the economy, but the reality was different” he said.
He further noted that, while some critics claimed the NPP’s arrogance led to its defeat, he disagreed.
“It wasn’t about arrogance. People were angry, but President Nana Addo had no choice but to introduce certain taxes because of the economic conditions. Our own people were frustrated, and it affected voter turnout.”
Mr. Blay also suggested that the NPP should take time to evaluate the performance of the incoming National Democratic Congress (NDC) government.
“We need to give ourselves some time and see how the NDC government performs. If things improve, it will show that the NPP government didn’t do a good job. If not, we’ll see what we can do next.”
Mr. Blay also acknowledged that the NDC was effective in its campaign, especially in terms of ground-level propaganda.
“The NDC did a great job in distracting our members and promoting their own agenda,” he said.