Former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has warned that a political party that cannot handle victory with humility or defeat with dignity risks losing the confidence of the Ghanaian people.

Speaking during the peace pact signing ceremony of New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential aspirants on Thursday, January 22, 2026, he reminded party members of the lessons from their defeat to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2024 general elections.

“Fellow patriots, the party that cannot manage victory with humility or defeat with dignity cannot expect to win the confidence of the Ghanaian people. We are reminded that a house divided against itself cannot stand. A divided party is certainly not attractive to the electorate,” he said.

He urged aspirants and supporters to maintain decorum, noting that Ghanaians are closely watching not only what politicians say, but also how they behave.

“I know the campaign has generated some heat among aspirants and supporters, but I believe I am qualified to say that we have seen it all before. Do not be discouraged by the excesses. The thirst for power and the unity required to win power must combine to motivate us to choose fraternity over factionalism once the primaries are over,” he added.

His remarks come as the NPP prepares to conduct its presidential primaries on January 31, 2026, a critical step toward selecting the party’s flagbearer for the 2028 general elections and reclaiming the trust of the electorate after the 2024 loss to the NDC.