Veteran filmmaker and political communicator, Socrate Safo, has issued a scathing critique of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) over the rising tide of in
Veteran filmmaker and political communicator, Socrate Safo, has issued a scathing critique of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) over the rising tide of insults and internal strife ahead of the party’s presidential primaries.
In a strongly worded open letter, he likened the party to “two quarrelling sisters” tearing themselves apart while the elders stand aloof.
Socrate Safo, who has long been associated with the NPP’s communications machinery, expressed disappointment at what he described as the “gutter politics” being exhibited by supporters of the leading contenders vying to succeed President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in 2028.
Background: A Party at a Crossroads
The NPP, after the 2024 defeat is preparing for a highly contested presidential primary, which has already generated heated exchanges between supporters of the competing aspirants.
While internal party elections have historically been fraught with tensions, the current wave of open insults and personal attacks has raised fears of a fractured base ahead of the 2028 general elections.
The tradition of the NPP, rooted in the philosophies of Danquah, Dombo, and Busia, has often emphasized intellectual debate and democratic values.
However, Socrate Safo lamented that the current environment has degenerated into “reckless insults” rather than the exchange of ideas.
The Open Rebuke
In his statement, Safo did not mince words.
He condemned party communicators who, instead of articulating policies, have resorted to attacking opposing candidates.
“What I saw was shameful. What I heard was disgraceful. That was not debate. That was not strategy. That was not the proud tradition of Danquah, Dombo, and Busia. No, it was gutter fighting,” he wrote.
Significantly, Sacrote Safo did not place the blame on one faction alone. He stressed that both sides of the internal contest are guilty of dragging the party’s name into the mud.
A Call To Elders
One of the most striking aspects of his letter was his open rebuke of the party’s senior figures.
He questioned the silence of former President John Agyekum Kufuor, former National Chairman Freddie Blay, Hackman Owusu-Agyemang, President Nana Akufo-Addo, and the NPP Council of Elders.
“Your silence is not golden. It is cowardice. Your inaction is not patience. It is betrayal,” Safo warned, accusing the party’s elder statesmen of allowing divisions to fester unchecked.
He cautioned that if the NPP collapses due to internal feuding, history would not only blame the “two quarrelling sisters” but also record the silence of the elders as complicity.
Impact On 2028 Elections
Looking ahead, Safo raised concerns about how the insults being traded now could undermine party unity in the run-up to the 2028 elections.
He questioned whether, after the primaries, those who hurled attacks would be willing to work together to rally support for the party’s eventual flagbearer.
“Can your candidate win the national election with only his faction of the party supporters?” he asked, warning that victory in the national polls would require unity, not division.
The Grassroots Factor
Beyond the leadership, Safo turned his attention to the NPP’s grassroots, urging ordinary members not to allow themselves to be manipulated or used as weapons in the internal feud.
“If the elders will not defend the party, then the grassroots must. If the leaders will not protect the house, then the base must hold the walls,” he stated.
He appealed to party members to resist division and instead promote discipline, dignity, and unity within the NPP, which he described as the true safeguard of the party’s survival.
“The soul of the NPP must not die in insults and division. It must rise in unity and strength,” Safo concluded, urging both the leadership and grassroots to protect the party’s legacy.
COMMENTS