Former Vice Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Sammy Crabbe, has criticized the party’s internal structures, attributing its recent electoral defeat to weak leadership and inadequate member training.
In an interview with Accra-based Citi FM, Crabbe added that the party also the people’s goodwill given to them in January 2017.
“Unfortunately, we squandered it [the people’s goodwill]. I have always said it all comes down to the fact that we have a very weak party. When you have a weak party, it cannot call people to order,” he stated.
He emphasized the necessity of training elected party officials at all levels, from national to polling stations, to ensure they understand their roles and responsibilities.
“Once you elect the person, you have to work on the person; you need to train them so that they really understand what the job is, just like in any organization,” Crabbe explained.
Crabbe’s comments come in the wake of the NPP’s loss in the 2024 general elections, where the party faced criticism for its handling of the economy and internal governance issues.
Analysts and party insiders have pointed to factors such as voter apathy and a lack of effective leadership as contributing to the defeat.
The NPP has since established an 11-member committee to investigate the causes of the electoral loss and recommend strategies for rebuilding the party’s strength and unity.