Former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has cautioned that any political party unable to manage victory with humility or defeat with dignity risks losing the confidence of the Ghanaian electorate.
He made the remarks on Thursday, January 22, 2026, during the peace pact signing ceremony by presidential aspirants of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), as the party prepares for its upcoming primaries.
Reflecting on the party’s defeat to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2024 general elections, the former president urged party members to draw lessons from the loss and prioritise unity going forward.
“Fellow patriots, the party that cannot manage victory with humility or defeat with dignity cannot expect to win the confidence of the Ghanaian people. We are reminded that a house divided against itself cannot stand. A divided party is certainly not attractive to the electorate,” he said.
Mr Akufo-Addo stressed that public confidence is shaped not only by policy positions but also by the conduct of political actors, warning that Ghanaians are closely observing the behaviour of aspirants and their supporters.
“I know the campaign has generated some heat among aspirants and supporters, but I believe I am qualified to say that we have seen it all before. Do not be discouraged by the excesses. The thirst for power and the unity required to win power must combine to motivate us to choose fraternity over factionalism once the primaries are over,” he added.
His comments come as the NPP gears up for its January 31, 2026, presidential primaries, a critical step toward selecting a flagbearer for the 2028 general elections and rebuilding public trust following its 2024 electoral defeat.