The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has suffered an embarrassing public setback after one of its most respected elders, Kwame Pianim, openly praised President John Dramani Mahama at a major national forum—while simultaneously admitting that the President’s actions could seriously damage the NPP’s electoral fortunes.
Speaking at the 54th National Delegates Conference of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) on Monday, January 5, 2026, Pianim commended President Mahama for personally responding to the concerns of teachers, a gesture that starkly contrasted with the NPP’s approach to stakeholder engagement while in government.
Pianim’s remarks, delivered in Mahama’s presence, amounted to an implicit indictment of the NPP’s leadership style. He noted that while some leaders would avoid direct engagement or delegate such responsibilities to lower-level officials, Mahama had chosen to show up himself—earning admiration from teachers and conference delegates alike.
More damaging for the NPP, however, was Pianim’s candid admission that Mahama’s conduct since returning to office could cost the party massive support within the education sector.
By warning that the President could secure as much as 80 percent of teachers’ votes, Pianim effectively acknowledged the NPP’s waning appeal among one of Ghana’s most influential professional groups. His comments, though delivered humorously, highlighted a serious strategic weakness for the party as it struggles to reconnect with key constituencies.
For a party already facing questions about relevance, unity, and post-election direction, the spectacle of a senior NPP figure applauding a rival president at a national stage underscores deeper internal and electoral challenges. It also reinforces a growing perception that the NPP has failed to maintain the trust of critical stakeholders such as teachers—an issue that could have lasting consequences at the polls.
While Pianim may have intended his remarks as light-hearted, they have inadvertently shone a harsh spotlight on the NPP’s diminishing influence and the urgent need for introspection within the party.
