‘Breaking the 8’ is for the tried and tested – John Boadu urges NPP to stick with him in General Secretary race

The General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), John Boadu, has stated why he should be maintained as the party seeks to extend its stay in power for a third consecutive term.

Having played a key role in securing success for the NPP in the 2016 and 2020 elections, many NPP stalwarts believe he holds the key to an unprecedented feat for the party.

Political parties have been unable to win power beyond two consecutive terms hence an eight-year cycle jinx that has been the status quo since the inception of the Fourth Republic.

However, the NPP is determined to win the 2024 polls to change the trend; thus, the mantra ‘Breaking The Eight.’

But before then, the NPP is scheduled to elect new executives to steer the party’s affairs for the next four years.

At the launch of his campaign for another bid on Tuesday, 31 May 2022, Mr Boadu told party faithfuls that it was not for his personal gratification “but for the hard work we (NPP members) have done over the years and the need to break this unnecessary cycle in our political system where the New Patriotic Party comes to build then in eight years another party takes over to break down all the structures we have put together”.

He continued: “We cannot be marking time as a nation, and if we must break this unhealthy cycle, you need the one who has done it before. You need the one who continues to do it; you need the one who knows the direction to ensure that the NPP makes history again with all of us”.

He said he had fulfilled the promise as the first general secretary to implement a monthly allowance for the 16 regional and 275 constituency secretaries, adding, “we are the first and only party in Ghana to implement this.”

Mr Boadu maintained that jobs had not eluded the party’s youth under his tenure.

He outlined various initiatives he had taken, including facilitating the purchase of vehicles for constituencies in each region.

“In 2020, we resourced our party to the level that was a marvel to our opponents,” he noted.

Key among his achievements were the conflict resolution committees at various party levels to deal with disputes and minimise court litigation.

Additionally, he outlined the establishment of an NPP ideological institute, with the official inauguration scheduled after the internal elections. He added that the infrastructure for the school was ready.

To that effect, Mr Boadu announced that Prof Mike Oquaye had been appointed the Governing Council Chairman for the NPP ideological school.

Furthermore, he said atleast 13 permanent structures had been built as offices for some constituencies.

He acknowledged the national chairman and other party executives and officials who played key roles in achieving the listed objectives.

He believes that the NPP has “an election to win in 2024”; hence “it is not the time to test the waters”.

He stated that the party had invested in him.

So he does not consider leaving the party headquarters to take up government appointments as suggested by some key members of the party.

He will not trade his position in the party even “with the most lucrative job on earth, be it in government or otherwise”.

He was convinced that his “rich experience” would be needed as the party matches towards a third successive mandate.

“Certainly, this is when the NPP needs my organisational and election-winning experience as General Secretary”, especially as the party will have a new chairman, new presidential candidate, and many other new faces as national executives.

“It is important that the fulcrum to which the wheels of the party run should be there to work with the new leaders,” He suggested.

For him, the NPP must avoid “the same mistake of fielding an entirely new team which resulted in the loss of the general elections in 2008.

“We, together, delivered an unprecedented victory for the NPP in the elections (2016) by over one million votes. We also snatched as many as 55 parliamentary seats from the then NDC. It has never happened before”.

“It took me almost 30 years of selfless service to this great party before I got to where I am today,” he stressed.

Mr Boadu’s profile

John Boadu is considered the longest-serving national officer of the NPP in history.

He obtained a GCE Advanced Level Certificate from the Opoku Ware Secondary School in Kumasi and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (Accounting option) from the University of Ghana.

He is arguably the most experienced NPP executive, having occupied positions in the party at all levels.

Before his rise to the national level, he served the party at the grassroots.

He was Polling Station Chairman, Constituency Secretary (Ablekuma South), Regional Research and Information Officer (Greater Accra), National Finance Officer, National Youth Treasurer, National Deputy Communications Director, National Youth Organizer, National Organizer, Director of Operations and Logistics (both 2016 and 2020 general elections) and currently the General Secretary.