Political Science Lecturer at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Dr. Amoako Baah, says the 2024 General Elections will be an uphill battle for the New Patriotic Party.

According to him, their chances of winning the next elections are being hampered by the President, Akufo-Addo, who the academic describes as a “400 pound gorilla.”

He explained that the President since assuming office has picked his family over the Party and has subsequently caused a rift within the Party making it very difficult for the Party to unite and forge ahead towards the 2024 elections.

He noted that the recent squabbles within the Party are merely a manifestation of the rift the President has caused.

“Apart from the NPP key executives being new in their position, they’ll have to deal with a 400 pound gorilla that is the President who is used to getting his way. You don’t come in and in short order tell him what to do; he’s not going to agree. And you can see, the writing is on the wall already.

“What has happened today with Eugene seemingly fighting with the President that is an indication of things to come. The party is divided, they’re fighting among themselves. The President has picked his family over the Party, it’s unfortunate and I don’t know how they’re going to turn it around.

“That example right there will make a bad omen, it is an uphill battle. Not only are you going to try to organize the party, unite the party, you have to deal with the President too; a President who is outgoing and seems not to care about what happens to the party. That is a very difficult thing to overcome,” he said on JoyNews’ PM Express.

Comparing the National Chairmen of the two major parties, Dr. Amoako Baah noted that aside from Asiedu Nketia’s great experience leading the party from the General-Secretary’s post, the President’s refusal to work with Stephen Ntim will serve a disservice to the Party.

“Ntim just came in, he just came in. It’s almost as if this time he’s gone long enough so let him go. The last election the President said he didn’t want him, he couldn’t work with him and therefore they didn’t vote for him. Which means in NPP the money trumps loyalty, that’s it.

“Look at NPP, it’s almost like the President has captured the party. That is the short end of it. He’s captured the party; he gets to do what he wants.

“And so when there’s a difficulty between party members, MPs at that, it is the MPs that hold the party together, not the President. They pay the dues. How many Presidents have we had? The Presidents don’t win all the time and yet it is the President who has the upper hand in this case,” he said.