Founder and Executive Chairman of the Africa Prosperity Network (APN), Gabby Otchere-Darko, has described the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) showing in the 2024 general election as surprising.

He argues that the outcome reflects a wider global political trend rather than purely domestic factors.

He contended that the party’s loss should be assessed within the context of changing voter behaviour across democracies worldwide, where incumbent or governing parties have increasingly faced electoral setbacks driven by broader sentiments beyond national boundaries.

In Ghana’s 2024 elections, the NPP, led by then Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, polled 41.06 per cent of the valid votes cast, while the National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate, John Dramani Mahama, secured 57.95 per cent to return to office.

According to Mr Otchere-Darko, comparable electoral surprises have unfolded in several established and emerging democracies in recent years, underscoring what he believes is a global shift in political attitudes rather than isolated national failures.

“You know what I’ve noticed over the last few years? There have been some shocking results across the world,” he said, citing examples from the United States, the United Kingdom and parts of Africa.

“In the USA, I think Trump actually got fewer votes than he did in 2020, but the margin of victory was wider. In the UK, the Labour Party didn’t do well in the popular vote, but the seats they won were historic.

"In South Africa, we saw the ANC lose its majority for the first time. We saw it across, whether it was in Botswana, across the world,” he added.

He summed up the phenomenon by invoking a German expression, describing the developments as reflective of “the zeitgeist – the time and the spirit of the moment,” suggesting that the NPP’s defeat fits squarely within this global political climate.