Former CEO of the National Petroleum Authority, Dr. Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, says the New Patriotic Party (NPP) 2024 electoral defeat is neither shocking nor shameful, but a political reality that comes with attempting the impossible adding that it is okay to lose and that the party did its best for the country.
Speaking bluntly during the ongoing NPP’s Thank You Tour in Damongo, in the Savannah Region on April 4th 2025, the longtime party stalwart expressed no regrets over the party’s 2024 election loss.
“Tell yourself the truth, why were you saying ‘Break the 8’? Because you knew it has never happened before. You were trying to do the impossible.
You knew that no first time candidate has won an election in this fourth republic, you have done eight years, you are presenting a new candidate and you didn’t win and you are beating yourselves.
Walahi I’m not beating myself, Walahi! I understand it, I’m not upset, and I don’t think that anybody is responsible for anything. We did our best for this country,” Dr. Hamid unequivocally stated.
According to Dr. Hamid, the NPP’s ambition to “Break the 8”,a slogan coined to break Ghana’s traditional two-party eight-year power cycle, was bold, but the outcome was expected.
His speech, packed with unfiltered honesty sharply contrasted with the more cautious tones of other NPP leaders. While General Secretary Justin Kodua and others struck a conciliatory tone, Dr. Hamid made it clear, stating that:
“They might say they are sorry, but Walahi! there is no policy that the NPP implemented that I’m sorry about.”
His comments come in the wake of the NPP’s painful defeat in the 2024 general elections, which saw Mahama’s National Democratic Congress (NDC) not only reclaim the presidency but also dominate Parliament with 183 seats, leaving the NPP with just 88. But Dr. Hamid was quick to reject the narrative that the loss should be met with regret or shame.
“You can’t win always. Opposition doesn’t frighten us at all.” he told party supporters.
Not holding back criticism of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), Dr. Abdul-Hamid stated that the Mahama-led administration is confused and unworthy of comparison with the NPP’s record in office.
“Already see what is going on in government, today he appoints somebody as chief executive, tomorrow they change him. This is a confused government. They are not going anywhere,” he said.
Dr. Bawumia, the party’s first-time flag-bearer, admitted that the NPP’s 2024 election defeat was caused by economic hardships, public anger over the uncompleted $58 million National Cathedral, fuel price hikes days before voting, and the party’s failure to listen to Ghanaians. Some experts also believe it was because of public anger over rising living costs, unpopular policies like the e-levy, and scandals linked to how the government managed the country’s debt.
However, Dr. Hamid offered a different narrative: one of resilience and refusal to be ashamed.
Quoting Bob Marley, he reminded party faithful that “he who fights and runs away lives to fight another day,” adding, “In our case, we didn’t run. We fought. And we’re still fighting.”
Dr. Abdul-Hamid is not going quietly into the opposition and he expects the same from his party.
