Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, the 2024 flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and former Vice President, has revealed that widespread voter apathy across six critical regions played a significant role in the party’s loss during the 2024 general elections. Speaking on the third day of the NPP’s “Thank You” tour in the Ahafo Region on Monday, 28th April 2025, Dr Bawumia addressed party supporters and stakeholders with a heartfelt analysis of the electoral outcome.
He identified the Greater Accra, Ashanti, Eastern, Western, Bono, and Central regions as the areas where voter turnout dropped significantly, deeply affecting the party's chances of victory. With a tone of concern and reflection, Dr Bawumia highlighted the exact numbers that contributed to the party’s defeat. The Greater Accra Region saw 571,000 people abstain from voting, while the Ashanti Region recorded 489,000 abstentions. The Eastern Region experienced 258,000, the Central Region 230,000, the Western Region 164,000, and the Bono Region 100,000 in terms of voter apathy.
“These six regions were our problem, and they are our strongholds as well. The situation would have been different if they had come out to vote,” Dr Bawumia stated, clearly underlining the immense impact the low turnout had on the election results. His message was a blend of regret and determination, aiming to inspire party faithful to understand the lessons from the defeat and forge a stronger bond with the electorate moving forward.
Beyond voter apathy, Dr Bawumia candidly acknowledged several other critical factors that contributed to the party's downfall. He pointed to the arrogance that can often accompany prolonged power, recognising that such behaviour may have alienated voters. Furthermore, he cited the rising cost of living, a nationwide concern that affected many households, as a major issue the party could not sufficiently address before the election.
He also admitted the party’s failure to reshuffle government officials when the public demanded change, which created a sense of disconnection between the leadership and the grassroots. The introduction of the controversial E-Levy and the implementation of the haircut policy were additional decisions that, according to Dr Bawumia, hurt the party’s image and led to disillusionment among the electorate.
His reflections were delivered with a striking sense of honesty, giving party members a clear-eyed view of what went wrong and offering an opportunity to rebuild trust ahead of future contests. By confronting the reality of voter sentiment and internal party dynamics, Dr Bawumia demonstrated a commitment to learning from the past rather than avoiding responsibility.
The address during the “Thank You” tour was not just a recounting of statistics but a call to action, urging the NPP to engage more sincerely with its support base. The emotional and statistical weight of Dr Bawumia’s speech left no doubt that the party faces a challenging but necessary journey towards regaining the confidence of its loyal regions and the nation at large.
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