A leading member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Arthur Kennedy, has argued that party supporters are not obliged to vote for any candidate simply because they belong to the party.
In his view, party members have the freedom to decide who to support, and candidates must work to earn their votes.
Speaking during discussions on the NPP’s reorganisation and rebuilding ahead of the 2028 general elections, Dr. Kennedy rejected the notion that loyalty alone should determine voting behaviour within the party.
“You often hear people say every good party member needs to support our candidate. No, they don’t. They have a choice,” he noted.
He stressed that voters ultimately decide based on performance and credibility.
“If, by election day, they believe you have earned their vote, they will vote for you. If not, they will stay home or vote for your opponent,” he added.
Dr. Kennedy also weighed in on debates surrounding the party’s internal election processes, especially claims that a different voting system could have changed the outcome of recent contests.
Touching on the candidates presented at the party’s last internal election, he observed that it is difficult to rely on assumptions about outcomes that were never tested.
“If the executive-level voting approach had been used, would it have produced a different verdict? That cannot be known because it was never applied,” he explained.
He cautioned political actors against excessive speculation, emphasising that democratic politics must rest on clear and legitimate procedures.
“In politics, we must be careful with hypotheticals,” he stressed.
Dr. Kennedy maintained that he would have accepted the outcome of the process regardless of the result, provided it was fair and transparent.
“If the process had been legitimate and delivered the same result, I would have embraced it fully,” he stated.
His remarks come at a time when the NPP is engaged in internal discussions on strengthening party unity and rebuilding public confidence ahead of the 2028 elections.
By: Jacob Aggrey
