Opare Addo cautions NDC against adopting NPP’s aggressive politics

National Youth Organiser and Minister for Youth Development and Empowerment for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), George Opare Addo, has cautioned the party against adopting the aggressive political tactics of the New Patriotic Party (NPP). In a Facebook post on October 4, Opare Addo urged the NDC to focus on ideas, policy, and organization rather than simply mirroring the NPP's approach.

He emphasized that the NDC should not "answer the NPP by becoming the NPP". The NPP recently elected a new national executive team at its National Delegates Conference in Kumasi, with John Boadu becoming the new National Chairman and Justin Kodua retaining the position of General Secretary. Opare Addo argued that the NDC should use its upcoming leadership contest to define its political identity, focusing on ideas, policies, organizational strength, and intellectual capacity.

He warned against the temptation to engage in intimidation and violence, distinguishing between "politics tough" and "politics violent". Instead, Opare Addo stressed that the NDC's leadership contest should serve as an opportunity to shape the party's future direction and encourage Ghanaian voters to envision a responsible form of political competition.

He cited the NDC's 2022 leadership elections as a positive example of a constructive internal process and highlighted the Green Army mobilization by the youth wing as a testament to young people’s ability to rally around a shared political purpose. Opare Addo cautioned against reverting to "personality, insults, factionalism, and permanent confrontation," as such tactics would undermine the party's broader goals.

He urged the NDC to be fierce in its competition but responsible in wielding political power, asserting that electoral success should not be the sole indicator of the party's success.