Deputy Minority Leader Patricia Appiagyei has expressed confidence that members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) have embraced the message of unity and discipline ahead of the party’s internal contest, insisting that the party’s collective interest must always come before individual ambitions.

Speaking to JoyNews’ James Avedzi at the signing of a peace pact by NPP presidential candidates on Thursday, January 22, the Asokwa MP said the messages delivered at the event clearly underscored the need for cohesion as the party goes through the process of choosing a leader.

“All these messages indicate that the party is bigger than the individual,” she said. “It’s a process of choosing a leader, and if you want to read it well, it doesn’t mean the end of the day.”

Ms Appiagyei said she was encouraged by the level of understanding shown by party members and aspirants, noting that the presence of independent witnesses was meant to ensure accountability beyond the event itself.

“We are assured that the members have really understood the message and they are going to deliver,” she stated, adding that representatives of the National Peace Council and other observers were present to witness the commitments made.

According to her, the documentation of the event, including photographs and formal records, was deliberate and symbolic.

“That is the reason why we have witnesses here. We are taking all these pictures to prove in the future that we were here when you admitted it,” she said.

She cautioned that peace pledges should not be treated as mere rhetoric, warning against situations where leaders make public commitments only to act contrary afterward. “You can’t just say something and go against it,” she stressed.

The peace pact forms part of efforts by the NPP leadership and stakeholders to ensure a calm, orderly and credible internal process as the party prepares for its next phase following the 2024 general elections.

Party leaders have repeatedly warned that internal divisions could weaken the NPP’s chances of regrouping effectively as an opposition force and positioning itself for future elections.

Ms Appiagyei’s comments echo similar calls from other party figures who have urged aspirants and supporters to prioritise unity, respect party rules and accept outcomes in the broader interest of the NPP and Ghana’s democratic stability.