Why Dr Mustapha Abdul-Hamid has sworn to campaign against his son’s political ambition

Leading member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and former Chief Executive Officer of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Dr Mustapha Abdul-Hamid has revealed his intention to campaign against his firstborn son, who plans to contest for the position of Constituency Secretary for Madina.

Speaking during the NPP’s ongoing Thank You Tour following the party’s defeat in the 2024 general election, Dr Abdul-Hamid emphasised the importance of humility in the face of success, drawing lessons from the party’s recent electoral loss.

“You cannot win always. I have a son, my firstborn, who says he is going to contest to be Constituency Secretary for Madina. I told him, I said, ‘Zaki, I am going to come to Madina and campaign against you to lose,’” Dr Abdul-Hamid stated.

He explained that his decision stems from Zaki’s consistent success in elections throughout his life, including roles such as SHS SRC President, CASFORD Hall Secretary, and SRC President at the University of Cape Coast (UCC).

“If you are winning all the time, you will tend to believe in your own invincibility. Sometimes it is important to lose to learn humility and learn that God exists,” he added.

Dr Abdul-Hamid made the comment while reflecting on the NPP’s 2024 election defeat, where he urged party members to remain resilient despite the loss.

He dismissed feelings of regret over the party’s policies, stating, “Walaahi, I am not sorry about anything,” and criticized the current National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration under President John Mahama for chaotic governance.

The NPP lost the presidency to John Mahama, who secured 56.55% of the votes, and saw its parliamentary seats drop to 88 against the NDC’s 183.

The NPP’s Thank You Tour is part of the party’s efforts to regroup ahead of the 2028 elections.

GA