“I’ve been sidelined by NPP, National Council” -Kufuor

Former President speaks out

Eighty-six-year-old former President John Agyekum Kufuor has broken his silence, expressing profound disappointment over what he describes as a deliberate sidelining by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and its National Council. In a candid conversation with Abetifi MP and NPP flagbearer aspirant Dr. Bryan Acheampong, Kufuor questioned the party’s treatment of its senior figures, insisting that age should not be used to silence experience.

“Have I declined to the point where I can be dismissed, overlooked? My faculties are intact. I’m no relic,” he said. “I deserve at least to be consulted.”

A life of service and sacrifice

Tracing his political journey, Kufuor recalled entering Parliament at age 30 in 1969 and later serving as Deputy Minister under Prime Minister K.A. Busia. He reminded listeners of the personal cost of his dedication to public service, including a 15-month imprisonment at Ussher Fort following the 1972 coup.

“I was in Ussher Fort prison for one year, three months. How many of today’s leaders can say they’ve paid such a price?” he asked pointedly.

Kufuor’s leadership helped secure the NPP’s historic 2000 electoral victory, marking a major milestone in Ghana’s democratic progress. Yet two decades on, the former President feels increasingly pushed aside by a party he helped build.

A marginalised elder statesman

With growing concern, Kufuor emphasized that being advanced in age should not equate to irrelevance. He highlighted that his wisdom and long-standing service to the party should entitle him to at least be consulted on major issues.

“If there are elders in this party, I am surely one,” he said. “Age must not become an excuse for sidelining wisdom and experience.”

Sources close to the former President revealed that he has formally submitted a petition to the NPP leadership, raising concerns over internal decision-making and what he sees as a troubling trend of disregarding senior voices within the party.

Emergency meeting and party tensions

The petition has prompted the NPP’s National Council to schedule an emergency meeting on Monday, 14th July. While the contents of the petition remain undisclosed, party insiders say it touches on transition management and the marginalisation of key figures in the party’s history.

Kufuor’s intervention has stirred debate across the NPP and the broader political landscape, bringing renewed focus to issues of generational transition, institutional memory, and respect for founding figures.

A moment of reckoning for the NPP?

Political analysts suggest that Kufuor’s public comments could act as a wake-up call for the party. His statements force a critical question: how should the NPP balance the ambitions of its younger generation with the wisdom and legacy of its elders?

“Contribution, sacrifice, and wisdom do not fade with age,” Kufuor affirmed. “No one who has paid the price I have should be ignored.”

Uncertainty ahead of Delegates Conference

Although the NPP’s highly anticipated National Delegates Conference is scheduled for Friday, 19th July, it remains unclear whether Kufuor will attend. Sources indicate he may be absent—a move that could further deepen rifts within the party.

Some factions within the NPP have already criticised the timing and nature of the upcoming conference, fueling speculation about possible internal power struggles. Whether the leadership will heed Kufuor’s warning and reconsider its course remains to be seen.