Former Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation and renowned heart surgeon, Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, has strongly criticized the New Patriotic Party (NPP), saying the party has abandoned its founding principles and cautioning against the re-election of former Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia as flagbearer.
In an interview on Channel One TV’s The Point of View on Monday, January 12, Prof Frimpong-Boateng said the party he previously served has changed significantly from what it once was.
“The present NPP is not NPP. It is fake. From what I see now, this is not the NPP I used to know,” he stated.
When asked about his current relationship with the party, the former minister separated himself from what he called its current version. “Not the fake one. The real one is there. It is a virtual thing. The members are in the background,” he said, implying that the party’s original values and true members have been pushed aside.
Prof Frimpong-Boateng also raised serious concerns about the party’s internal democratic systems, especially the selection of its latest presidential candidate. He claimed the process involved manipulation, bribery and intimidation of delegates.
“Look at how they elected their last flagbearer, twist people’s arms, bribing delegates and intimidating others to get a flagbearer. This is a beginning of corruption. This should not be allowed in any serious institution or any serious party,” he said.
He connected these internal problems to the NPP’s heavy defeat in the 2024 general elections, contending that the party has not properly examined the causes of its loss.
“We lost the elections badly and we do not deal with the issues that led to the losses and we still want to go in there and I think it will be a trainwreck if they elect the old flagbearer,” he warned.
When asked if his remarks were specifically directed at Dr Bawumia, Prof Frimpong-Boateng said his criticism was not personal.
“No, no no. Bawumia is a very nice person but being nice alone is not enough to lead Nkrumah’s Ghana,” he said.
He further cautioned that fielding the same candidate without resolving the fundamental problems that led to the party’s electoral failure would be catastrophic. He characterized the possibility of re-electing Dr Bawumia as flagbearer as a “trainwreck,” emphasizing that leading the nation demands more than just being likeable.