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Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, widely known as NAPO and the 2024 Running Mate for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has offered insights into the historical events that led to the formation of the NPP. During a radio interview on August 16, 2024, NAPO alleged that the late Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first President, “hunted and chased several Ghanaian chiefs out of the country during his regime,” which he claimed contributed to the formation of various political parties that eventually united to become the NPP.
NAPO explained that the United Party, which later evolved into the Progress Party and eventually the NPP, was founded by chiefs from different regions of Ghana. He emphasized that chiefs from regions such as the Northern People’s Party joined forces to create a political coalition that represented all Ghanaians before the formation of the Ashanti party.
NAPO highlighted that Dr. Bawumia’s father, a royal, was compelled to join the Convention People’s Party (CPP) to prevent the arrest of the Mamprusi chief during Nkrumah’s time. He asserted that the arrest and persecution of chiefs during this period played a significant role in the creation of various political groups that later merged to form the NPP.
NAPO, who is currently campaigning in the Ashanti Region, underscored that the NPP has deep roots in the chieftaincy institutions across Ghana, stating, “The party belongs to every Ghanaian because all the chiefs are singing the same tune.” He also referenced his visits to various traditional leaders across the country, reinforcing the idea that the NPP’s origins are closely tied to Ghana’s chieftaincy traditions.
