Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has acknowledged that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) faces challenges in keeping its members united, contrasting the party’s internal dynamics with those of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Speaking on AsaasePa Radio, Afenyo-Markin said the NDC often manages to close ranks when collective action is required, even when disagreements exist within the party.
He said he had observed divisions among NDC members, particularly in Parliament, but noted that those differences tend to disappear when the party leadership calls its members to support a common position.
“What makes the NDC different and looks more organised than us is that they are able to come together easily. They are able to get collective easily,” he said.
According to him, NDC MPs can openly disagree among themselves, but when they are whipped to support a particular position, they generally fall in line and act together.
“You may see them having problems…Even in Parliament, I see them having problems among them in the Majority, but when they are whipped, they all come together as if there is no problem,” he added.
Afenyo-Markin said the NPP, by contrast, tends to handle internal disagreements more openly, making it harder for the party to present a united front even when members are expected to rally behind a common decision.
“If it were the NPP, they would let everyone know that there is a problem. They won’t even come into line when they are whipped,” he said.
He described this as one of the NPP’s weaknesses and urged the party to find ways of turning the individual strengths of its members into a more effective collective force.
“That is our weakness, and so we need to work on these so that the individual talents that we have will have that collective power to have an impact, and that impact is what will bring us to power,” Afenyo-Markin said.
His remarks highlight the internal cohesion challenge he believes the NPP must address as it seeks to strengthen its organisation and improve its chances of returning to power.
