The Psychology Behind The NPP’s Praising Akufo‑Addo Despite His Leadership Failure

September 9, 2026 - 22:41

It is a curious thing to watch. The same party that once rode on a wave of hope and change now finds itself in the awkward position of defending a leader widely ranked as the worst president in Ghana's political history. Nobody is asking the New Patriotic Party to disrespect, betray, or openly speak against Akufo-Addo. But the relentless praise, the glowing tributes, and the revisionist history coming from party faithfuls have left many political observers scratching their heads.

The psychology behind this is not simple stubbornness. It is a mix of identity protection, sunk cost fallacy, and the fear of facing the alternative. When a group invests heavily in a person, admitting failure means admitting that their own judgment was flawed. For many in the NPP, Akufo-Addo is not just a former leader; he is the embodiment of their political brand, the man who finally broke the eight-year cycle. To criticize him now would be to unravel the very story they tell themselves about their own competence.

There is also the matter of group cohesion. In the heat of opposition, the party needs a unifying figure, not a scapegoat. Publicly distancing themselves from Akufo-Addo would open a floodgate of internal blame and factional wars. So instead, they double down on his legacy, focusing on the free senior high school policy or the roads built, while conveniently ignoring the economic collapse, the debt crisis, and the widespread hardship that defined his final years. It is a defense mechanism. Praising him becomes a way of protecting the party's collective ego from the painful reality of its own governance.

But this strategy comes with a heavy cost. By refusing to acknowledge the depth of the failure, the NPP risks looking disconnected from the very people it hopes to win back. Voters are not stupid. They lived through the shortages, the high prices, and the joblessness. Hearing party officials sing songs of praise for a man they blame for their suffering only deepens the resentment. In trying to save face, the party may be digging its own grave, trading short-term loyalty for long-term electoral suicide.