“Defend or Deliver?†– What NPP’s 2028 Confidence Says (and Doesn’t Say)
A few weeks ago, I was eavesdropping on a heated conversation at a waakye joint (don’t judge, the tables were close). Two men were arguing—passionately—about politics. One said, “This time, NPP is done.†The other snapped back, “Forget it, they’ll defend every seat with blood if they have to.†I just sat there, quietly mixing shito with spaghetti, thinking, ah well… here we go again.
Fast forward to this week, and here comes Otu Agorhom, a key NPP regional chairman, boldly declaring that the party is “ready to defend itself†in the 2028 elections. Not just campaign. Not persuade. Defend.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I get the political speak. Every party needs to sound confident, especially after taking hits from public criticism, internal rifts, and economic storms. But something about the phrasing caught me off guard. Ready to defend itself?
It almost sounds like a warning. Or maybe a preemptive excuse. And honestly, I wasn’t sure how to feel about it.
In my opinion—and I know I may be wrong—but when a political party is focused on “defending,†it kind of makes you wonder: defending what exactly? Their record? Their brand? Their survival?
I’ve noticed lately that political conversations feel more like football arguments. It’s less about policies and more about who wins and who loses. Who’s “our person†and who “we must stop at all cost.†No one seems to be asking what Ghanaians actually get out of all this.
I mean, let’s be honest. The NPP has had its wins. Free SHS, digital stuff, some roadworks here and there. But they’ve also had their bruises—economic stress, inflation that made bread feel like a luxury item, and a few corruption clouds that never really cleared. So yeah, if they’re going into 2028, they’ll need more than slogans and branded T-shirts. They’ll need trust. And that’s something that’s kinda hard to “defend†if it’s already cracked.
Agorhom’s confidence might be real. And maybe it’s what the party faithful need to hear. But as a regular citizen, someone who's felt the pinch of rising fuel prices and watched jobless cousins scroll endlessly through job portals, I’m just wondering: will they defend their past, or build a new future?
Also, can we just pause and think about the kind of politics we want? Shouldn’t parties be preparing to explain, not just defend? To convince, not just counterattack? Or are we settling into a cycle where all we do is switch jerseys every 8 years and hope the next team sucks less?
I don’t know. Maybe I’m just ranting. Maybe I’ve had too much Cowbell Coffee again (kinda obsessed lately). But one thing's clear to me—2028 isn’t that far off. And people are watching. Listening. Remembering.
So here’s my final thought:
What if, instead of gearing up to “defend themselves,†political parties started preparing to actually deserve the people’s trust again? Wouldn’t that be a campaign worth showing up for?