There is increasing pressure within the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, the former Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, to take on the role of National Chairman and lead the party into the 2028 general elections.
Many party members nationwide believe that the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) bad performance in its final term of government can be attributed to a lack of strong leadership that failed to maintain a solid connection between the party and its supporters.
As the NPP continues to examine the causes of its defeat in the 2024 presidential and parliamentary elections, some members have started promoting Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, the former Majority Leader and the recent Member of Parliament for Suame in Ashanti Region as a leader who could restore order and discipline to the party, citing his vast political experience, loyalty to the party and influence across the country.
During an exclusive interview on Abusua 96.5fm with Kojo Marfo in Kumasi, Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu addressed the growing calls for him to contest for the chairmanship position. He explained that he would only accept the position if the party chooses him unanimously, through a consensus, rather than having to undergo a nationwide election campaign.
“I’ve always believed that the method we use to elect party leaders in this country is not in the best interest of the nation. Both the NPP and the NDC are guilty of this,” he said.
Referring to Article 55, Clause 9 of the 19192 constitution, he pointed out that a national executive committee member must be selected from all regions of Ghana.
“How can this constitutional requirement be fulfilled if the election of national executive committee members is based on competitive campaigning? The constitution carefully indicates that leaders should be ‘chosen,’ not necessarily ‘elected.’ Election is just one method of choosing, but it’s not the only way. If we can achieve consensus, that would be ideal—that’s how it should be done,” he stressed.
Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu further criticized the election-based system for selecting party executives, arguing that it helps breed corruption within the political sphere.
“I’ve long disagreed with our system of electing party executives, as that’s where corruption begins in our politics. For example, if someone from Aflao wants to become National Chairman, they are expected to fund their entire campaign across the country at their own expense. However, according to the party’s constitution, the National Chairman is not a paid position. What do you expect to happen when party funds are received? Naturally, they will seek to recover their campaign costs,” he remarked.
He also raised concerns about the integrity of electing the national treasurer through a similar campaign process.
