Former National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Freddie Blay, has attributed the party’s defeat in the 2024 general elections to public frustration and disillusionment, not religious considerations.

Speaking on AsaasePa 107.3 FM, Mr Blay admitted that the loss came as a surprise, especially considering what he described as the significant achievements of the Akufo-Addo administration.

“I didn’t see our defeat coming and, of course, the Akufo-Addo administration performed better,” he said. “But this is human science and not physical science.”

He strongly dismissed claims that religious factors influenced the electoral outcome, stressing Ghana’s secular nature and the voting patterns across constituencies.

“It is not true that religion played a role in our defeat. Ghana is a secular state and people do not vote based on religion,” he argued. “Even in some Christian constituencies, our candidate got more votes than in Muslim constituencies.”

According to Mr Blay, the real reasons behind the NPP’s defeat were a combination of unpopular tax policies, slow delivery on government promises, and ineffective communication with the electorate.,

“From myriads of taxes to slow performance to ineffective communication, people got frustrated and so we lost the election,” he said. “Even some of our own party members were disappointed and withheld their votes.”

Despite the defeat, Mr Blay expressed confidence in the party’s future. He revealed plans for a conference as part of a broader rebranding effort aimed at reconnecting with the grassroots and rebuilding public trust.

“We accept the defeat, and we are monitoring keenly what the new government brings on board. But we are restrategising,” he noted. “Things are not that good, but in the next years, we will come back and recapture power and serve Ghana.”