Akufo-Addo’s Arrogance Led to NPP’s Loss, Not Bawumia – Bulgaria

Afari Duodu, widely known as ‘Bulgaria’ and considered a living encyclopedia of Ghanaian politics, history, and statistics, has criticized President Akufo-Addo’s leadership.

He has labeled President Akufo-Addo as the worst leader in the history of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), particularly regarding the 2024 election.

Appearing on Lawson TV/Radio Ghana Se Sen on Wednesday, December 18, 2024, Duodu stated that the NPP’s poor showing in the 2024 elections could not be blamed on Dr. Bawumia, as many have suggested. Instead, he placed the responsibility squarely on Akufo-Addo’s shoulders.

The December 2024 polls saw John Dramani Mahama of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) winning decisively, securing 56.55% of the valid votes and more than 180 parliamentary seats, leaving the NPP to reconsider its direction under Bawumia’s leadership.

Duodu, also compared Akufo-Addo’s leadership unfavorably to that of former President Kufuor, emphasizing that Kufuor’s leadership far outshone Akufo-Addo’s.

He specifically criticized Akufo-Addo’s arrogance, suggesting it contributed significantly to the downfall of Dr. Bawumia’s campaign.

“The arrogance was overwhelming,” Duodu said. “There is no President in Ghana’s history who has been as arrogant as Akufo-Addo. During an interview, when the people of Kwabere expressed dissatisfaction with their roads and indicated they might not vote for you, you said, ‘I don’t care if they don’t vote.’ Would you have said that if you were in opposition?”

Duodu further noted that there were numerous factors behind the NPP’s defeat, citing unpopular decisions made by Akufo-Addo. “Akufo-Addo’s credibility has evaporated,” he said.

The blind historian also predicted that due to Akufo-Addo’s poor leadership, it would take the NPP a long time to elect a Presidential candidate from the Eastern Region.

He reaffirmed that Dr. Bawumia was not the wrong choice for the election, but emphasized that the overall leadership failures led to the party’s defeat.

Duodu then reflected on his earlier prediction of the NPP’s loss, acknowledging that he had foreseen it based on historical trends and the timing of the election. However, he clarified that during his prediction, he spoke as Duodu and not Bulgaria, as he did not want to damage Bawumia’s campaign.

He explained that his remarks were driven by personal political sentiment and feelings.