Professor Stephen Adei Attributes NPP Defeat to Apathy, Cautions Mahama on Key Appointments

Former Rector of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), Professor Stephen Adei, has attributed the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) defeat in the 2024 elections to widespread voter apathy, suggesting that many of the party’s supporters chose not to vote in protest rather than supporting the opposition.

In a recent interview on Hot Issues on TV3, Professor Adei explained that while President-elect John Dramani Mahama saw a marginal increase in his vote tally compared to the 2020 elections—an additional 200,000 votes—this improvement was not substantial enough to reflect a strong mandate. He pointed out that even with the natural growth of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) support base, Mahama’s performance remained flat, highlighting a larger trend of disillusionment among voters. “Much of the loss was that NPP members said enough is enough,” he stated, emphasizing that the party’s defeat was more due to its own failure to address internal concerns about economic management.

Professor Adei criticized the NPP for failing to recognize the growing frustrations of its own members, which he believed played a significant role in the outcome of the election. “When people are in power, they become blind,” he noted, suggesting that the government did not sense the mounting dissatisfaction over economic issues.

Beyond the election, Professor Adei also issued a stern warning to President-elect Mahama regarding potential moves to remove key figures in the country’s judiciary and electoral bodies. He cautioned against any attempt to remove Electoral Commission Chair Jean Adukwei Mensa, suggesting that such a move would be “disastrous” for Ghana. “Every president basically appoints a new EC,” he warned, stressing the danger of eroding institutional stability.

Similarly, he advised Mahama against removing Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornor without just cause. Professor Adei warned that any politically motivated removal of the Chief Justice, absent an impeachment process, could have serious long-term consequences for the nation. “We will pay a heavy price for it, not because of her but because of the underminers of the system,” he said, emphasizing the importance of safeguarding the independence of key state institutions.