New Patriotic Party (NPP) National Chairman aspirant Sammy Crabbe has raised concerns about what he describes as a decline in openness and intellectual engagement within the party, arguing that the reduced space for debate has pushed some talented members away.
Mr Crabbe made the remarks during an interview with Umaru Sanda Amadu on Channel One TV’s Face to Face on Tuesday, September 22, 2026.
He said the NPP previously offered members considerable freedom to express their views, question ideas and engage in discussions, but believed that culture had weakened over time.
“Within the NPP there was kind of freedom. There was a latitude. You engage, and then you think, and, you know, you try to make your way through it. Yes, it is less so now, unfortunately,” he said.
According to Mr Crabbe, changes in the handling of the party’s constitution had contributed to the decline, creating an environment in which some capable members became reluctant to participate actively.
“I think that the culture was radically changed, you know, the way we even attacked our constitution. It in itself made good people move away, be scared to really engage and drive it,” he said.
The NPP chairmanship hopeful maintained that the party still had members with substantial knowledge and expertise, but questioned whether adequate structures existed to harness their abilities effectively.
“They are good people, I can see knowledge. I can feel it. When you talk to people, they have a lot of knowledge, but how do you organise this knowledge? How do you put it out objectively?” he asked.
He further linked the departure of some members to what he described as a narrowing tolerance for differing opinions within the NPP.
“So we created a lot of space and people could challenge and argue. And I think that space has been narrowed. And there’s a lot of intolerance,” he said.
Mr Crabbe said some of those who subsequently moved from the NPP to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) had gone on to play prominent roles there.
“So people move from our party, and they move on to the NDC. And then they are the star performers,” he added.
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The strength and success of any institution depend largely on the quality of its leadership. This principle applies not only to corporate and social institutions but also to political parties. When a leader lacks competence, vision, and a genuine commitment to national progress, decline becomes inevitable. This has been the central challenge of the NPP. The party's leadership failed to pursue meaningful national development and instead prioritized personal and profitable interests. That failu...