Coach Opeele Urges NPP Leaders to Feel Ashamed, Not Apologize, Over Election Defeat

Former Asante Kotoko head coach, Isaac “Opeele” Boateng, has strongly criticized the leadership of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) following their crushing defeat in the 2024 general elections. In a series of tweets, Opeele expressed his deep disappointment with the NPP leadership, particularly over their failure to heed warnings about issues that he believes contributed to the party’s electoral loss.

Opeele’s criticism was particularly aimed at the party’s failure to address concerns surrounding the former finance minister, Ken Ofori-Atta. He claims that the NPP leadership ignored repeated calls to take action on Ofori-Atta’s controversial tenure, which he argues caused significant harm to the party’s image and performance. According to Opeele, the leadership’s refusal to address this issue directly led to their poor performance in the election.

In his tweets, Opeele did not hold back, targeting the NPP leaders who issued apologies after the defeat. He stated that those offering apologies should be “ashamed” of themselves for failing to act when they had the opportunity to address the issue that he believes was detrimental to the party. He said, “The NPP leaders who apologize should be ashamed of themselves. We told you the finance minister was causing the party harm, but you never listened,” emphasizing that the party’s leadership had been warned about the potential consequences of Ofori-Atta’s actions but failed to take meaningful steps to address them.

Opeele further expressed his frustration, arguing that the leadership’s inaction had resulted in significant damage to the party and its supporters. He declared, “You have disgraced, annihilated, and humiliated many NPP followers for years to come.” His comments reflect a sentiment of deep disappointment, not only at the electoral defeat but also at how the leadership’s mismanagement and lack of responsiveness to internal issues have left a lasting negative impact on the party’s supporters and its future prospects.

The election results saw the NPP’s presidential candidate, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, concede defeat shortly after the polls closed. Bawumia, who had hoped to continue the party’s rule, secured 4,657,304 votes, which represented 41.61% of the total vote. In contrast, the NDC’s John Dramani Mahama emerged victorious with 6,328,397 votes, accounting for 56.55% of the total votes cast, thus clinching the presidency.

The defeat marked a significant moment for the NPP, which has now been ousted from power after years of governance. While Bawumia’s defeat was anticipated by many, the scale of the loss has left many NPP members and supporters questioning the decisions made by the leadership in the run-up to the election. Opeele’s comments highlight the frustration that many party members feel, with many of them believing that the NPP leadership’s internal squabbles and failure to resolve key issues were decisive factors in their electoral downfall.

For Opeele, the failure to address the Ken Ofori-Atta issue is symbolic of a broader problem within the party: a lack of decisive action and accountability. Opeele’s statement that the NPP leadership has “disgraced” its supporters reflects the sense of betrayal felt by many within the party, who expected better leadership and clearer communication ahead of the election.

As the NPP now faces the challenge of rebuilding and regrouping after this devastating defeat, Opeele’s remarks serve as a reminder of the internal tensions and unresolved issues that have plagued the party in recent years. The leadership’s failure to act on internal criticisms and its inability to unite the party behind a clear agenda appear to have played a crucial role in their loss. The party’s future will now depend on how well it can address these internal challenges and restore the confidence of its supporters in the aftermath of the election.

Opeele’s outspoken remarks, combined with the NPP’s electoral defeat, underline the difficult path ahead for the party as it grapples with its internal divisions and attempts to recover from a humbling loss at the polls.