By Jibril Salifu, Member, North London Chapter, NPP UK
In the history of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), one lesson keeps repeating itself: internal division can be more dangerous than external opposition. This is not a new problem. It has followed the party from its early political roots to the present day.
A clear example goes back to 1979, when two leading figures in the Danquah–Busia tradition, Victor Owusu and William Ofori-Atta (Paa Willie), found themselves on opposite sides of a major political split. That division weakened unity at a critical moment, and its implications remain relevant today.
The NPP continues to face similar internal tensions today, even if the names and circumstances have changed. The key question remains the same: how can the party manage internal differences without allowing them to become division? This article revisits that history and connects it to present developments within the party to explain why unity has always been both the NPP’s greatest strength and its most persistent challenge.
To understand today’s tensions in the NPP tradition, it is important to understand the two figures at the centre of the 1979 split. They were leading voices in Ghana’s political development.
Victor Owusu was one of the strongest figures in the Danquah–Busia tradition. He was a lawyer and economist, trained in Nottingham and London. He served as Attorney General and Foreign Minister under Dr. K.A. Busia’s Progress Party government. He was widely respected for his intelligence, discipline and strong belief in law and order. To his supporters, he was the natural leader of the tradition. To others, he represented an established political class that felt distant from younger and changing voices.
In 1979, he led the Popular Front Party as the central figure of the centre-right.
The other titan was William Ofori-Atta, known as “Paa Willie”. He was a member of Ghana’s “Big Six” and part of the Akyem Abuakwa royal family. He was known for his simplicity, Christian faith and personal integrity. In politics, he was seen as someone who placed values and character above ambition.
When he broke away to form the United National Convention (UNC), he attracted supporters who believed the tradition needed a more ethical and reform-minded direction. For his supporters, leadership should not be based only on experience or seniority, but also on character and moral authority.
In 1979, that internal difference moved from idea to reality. Both men led their respective parties into the general election. Both belonged to the same ideological tradition rooted in J.B. Danquah’s legacy. Both supported property-owning democracy. Both commanded significant political followings.
But they could not agree on unity. The result became an electoral consequence.
Dr. Hilla Limann of the People’s National Party (PNP) won the presidency with 35.32% of the vote, ushering in the Third Republic under a divided opposition. The numbers told a clearer story than the politics.
In the first round, Victor Owusu’s PFP secured 29.86%, while Paa Willie’s UNC gained 17.41%. Together, they controlled 47.27% of the vote. This was a clear majority over Limann. But that majority never came together. In the runoff, the UNC supported Limann. The final result was decisive: Limann 62%, Owusu 38%. The centre-right lost an election and lost power because it could not stay united when it mattered most. That moment became a lasting lesson for all.
That reality, however, has continued to echo in more recent political developments. Alan Kyerematen’s exit from the NPP adds to wider discussions about internal unity within the party. A long-serving member and former Trade Minister, he left the NPP after losing the 2023 presidential primaries. In the 2024 elections, he contested as an independent presidential candidate. Later, in October 2025, he launched the United Party (UP), positioning it as a “third force” in Ghana’s political space.
In many ways, his journey reflects a familiar pattern. Internal competition within major parties does not always remain contained within party structures. Instead, it can evolve into independent political organisation. This points to a broader reality: when internal disagreements are not properly managed, they can evolve into separate political platforms outside the party structure.
A similar sense of shifting alignment is also visible in the development of the Base Movement. The Base Movement was formally unveiled on 20th April 2026, with Dr Oti Bonsu introduced as its founder. His exit from the NPP in early 2026 and his role in the movement positioned him as a critic of the party’s leadership. The movement presents itself as a new political force focused on youth employment and as an alternative to both the NPP and NDC. At its launch, earlier speculation linking the movement to Kennedy Agyapong was publicly dismissed. Dr Oti Bonsu clarified the leadership structure and ended uncertainty about its control.
Separately, Kumawood actor Agya Koo has also been linked to mobilisation activities around the same space, although he denied any involvement from Kennedy Agyapong, stating that the former Assin Central MP remains committed to the NPP. Taken together, these developments suggest not a single coordinated breakaway structure, but a wider set of political expressions forming around the Base Movement and its broader appeal. This is not entirely new. The support base often associated with Kennedy Agyapong is described as drawing strong backing from traders, young people, and urban communities. This group is active, media-engaged, and responsive to direct mobilisation.
A key feature of this movement will be its strong media presence, supported by Net2 TV and Oman FM, owned by Kennedy Agyapong, which will allow continuous political communication outside formal party structures. Cultural figures such as Agya Koo also illustrate how political mobilisation is extending into non-traditional spaces.
Indeed, the Base Movement has shown early signs of organisation. Structured recruitment is underway, supported by digital registration systems that allow members to join easily from Ghana and the diaspora. As at the time of this writing, figures published on the movement’s official website indicate that membership is already above 350,000, pointing to fast early growth for a new political formation.
For the NPP, the implications are clear. This creates parallel channels of loyalty and increases the risk of vote splitting in closely contested elections.
There are also political rumours that Kennedy Agyapong could, at some point, align with or influence this movement. While unconfirmed, these claims show tensions within the party.
If that were to happen, it would not immediately change the party’s structure. But over time, it could shift internal balance and weaken traditional support bases.
The story of Victor Owusu and Paa Willie continues to speak to today’s politics. In 1979, two men who shared the same political tradition could not stay united. They had the numbers to win, but division cost them power. Today, the pattern remains familiar.
The message from the past is simple but enduring: unity is not automatic; it is something that must be carefully managed over time. The NPP has seen this before. It knows how it ends.
The question now is whether it will act early or repeat the same history under new names.
Despite these pressures, there are signs of ongoing efforts to maintain cohesion within the party. One example is the recent private engagement between Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and Kennedy Agyapong.
According to Sammi Awuku on Peace FM’s Kokrokoo programme on 20th April 2026, the meeting formed part of reconciliation efforts aimed at strengthening unity. Kennedy Agyapong is also reported to have reaffirmed his support for the NPP.
These steps suggest that the risks are recognised, and that efforts are being made to manage them before they harden into division. Whether these efforts are sustained may determine whether the party breaks its historical pattern or repeats it.
The party cannot afford to repeat the Victor Owusu–Paa Willie experience.
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