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Former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has called on aspirants in the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) upcoming flagbearer primaries to uphold unity and discipline, drawing lessons from the party’s long-standing democratic traditions.

Speaking at a ceremony for NPP flagbearer aspirants ahead of the January 31, 2026 primaries, Akufo-Addo reminded party members that the NPP’s history predates contemporary politics, tracing its roots to the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) formed in 1947.

“Our party did not begin yesterday,” he noted. “From that beginning emerges a lesson that still guides us today. While the ballot must determine who occupies which position, the true test of our internal democracy lies in the conduct of both winners and losers.”

The former president recounted his own experience during the NPP presidential primaries in 1998, when he lost the contest but immediately rallied behind the eventual winner.

“When the contest ended, I did not hesitate. I became the chief campaigner for the winner,” Akufo-Addo said. “That decision was not made out of convenience, but conviction.”

He explained that this show of unity played a crucial role in strengthening the party and ultimately contributed to the NPP’s historic presidential victory in the 2000 general elections.

Akufo-Addo urged aspirants to conduct their campaigns with integrity, stressing that competition must not come at the expense of respect and cohesion.

“Let your campaigns be firm but fair, competitive but respectful,” he advised. “Our tradition rejects fear, insults, intimidation, and bitterness.”

He further reaffirmed the enduring appeal of the NPP’s ideological foundations, citing the party’s commitment to individual liberty, respect for human rights, private enterprise, the rule of law, and human development.

“These principles continue to resonate with the Ghanaian people,” he said.

Concluding his address, Akufo-Addo encouraged aspirants to honour the peace pact they had endorsed, emphasizing that party unity must prevail after the primaries.

“This is a solemn covenant,” he said, “a commitment that ambition will not override fraternity, that competition will not descend into hostility, and that once the ballot has spoken, the party will move forward together.”