Member of Parliament for Subin Constituency in the Ashanti Region, Eugene Boakye Antwi, has called for what he describes as an "open-heart surgery" on the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) following the party’s massive defeat in the 2024 presidential and parliamentary elections.
He blamed the actions and comments of President Nana Akufo-Addo, former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, and Gabby Otchere-Darko for the defeat.
Speaking on Metro TV, Antwi specifically referenced the controversy surrounding the demand by some NPP Members of Parliament, in 2022, demanding the removal of Ken Ofori-Atta as Finance Minister. According to him, the MPs were forced to hold a press conference after their request to meet the President regarding Ofori-Atta’s performance was ignored.
He recounted:
When we decided to hold a press conference and make the President aware that the continued tenure of Ken Ofori-Atta was not going to inure to our benefit, on the 22nd of October, the following day the President met us. And then prominent members of society called us and said the President would get rid of Ken, so we should just bear with him.
NPP has lost the election today because of Ken Ofori-Atta, Gabby Otchere-Darko, and Asante Bediatuo.
The lawmaker further disclosed that the Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, had been sidelined at a point during the administration, particularly regarding decisions about the economy.
The President kept Ken there for one year and two months—14 months—after we had been assured. Anytime Ken came to deliver the budget, wasn’t Dr Bawumia present? In 2017 he was there, in 2018, and in 2019 as well. In 2020, they cut off Dr Bawumia. That’s when all the excessive borrowing and the intolerable introduction of taxes on the people of this country started.
He further alleged:
Now Gabby became the chief advisor to the Finance Minister. They were the ones drawing the budget.
The MP therefore called for a total restructuring of the party to prepare for the next election.
Meanwhile, Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has urged party leadership and supporters to avoid blame games and unite to rebuild the party.