Fair, transparent NPP executive elections crucial to 2028 comeback – Brako-Powers

Private legal practitioner Austin Brako-Powers has urged the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to resolve its internal grievances and ensure fairness in its upcoming national executive elections if it wants to rebuild public confidence and return to power.

The NPP is preparing to elect new national officers on October 3, in Kumasi.

The party has cleared 47 aspirants to contest nine national executive positions, including National Chairman, Vice-Chairpersons, General Secretary, National Treasurer, National Organiser, National Youth Organiser, National Women’s Organiser, National Nasara Organiser and National Communications Director.

The National Chairmanship race features former chairman Paul Afoko, former General Secretary John Boadu, former Energy Minister Boakye Agyarko and former Greater Accra Regional Chairman Sammy Crabbe.

Reacting to this, Brako-Powers said the party should not be written off following its defeat in the 2024 general elections, noting that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) was able to recover from its own electoral setbacks.

Speaking on Accra-based TV3’s New Day on Thursday, September 10, he said the NPP’s delegates had an important role to play in selecting leaders capable of rebuilding trust within the party.

“Are you saying that the New Patriotic Party cannot do same? They can do same. What they need to do is to work out issues that would cause or foment tension within the party," he stated.

Brako-Powers stressed that the party’s internal electoral process must be transparent and should not create the perception that its leadership structures are backing particular candidates.

According to him, any appearance of favouritism could deepen existing divisions and leave the NPP weakened ahead of the 2028 general elections.

Mr Brako Powers also urged the party to maintain civility among the various aspirants, saying the contest should focus on ideas for rebuilding the party rather than personal attacks.