Defeated lawmaker George Mireku Duker has accused senior New Patriotic Party (NPP) figures of systematically undermining his parliamentary campaign due to fears about his presidential prospects.
The former Tarkwa-Nsuaem MP and ex-Deputy Lands Minister claims party elites viewed his Western Region powerbase and local gold resources as a direct threat.
“They realized if I wasn’t brought down, I could become president,” Duker told journalists in Accra. “Almost all those with presidential ambitions worked against me nationally.” The former legislator alleges NPP headquarters orchestrated division within his Wassa stronghold, noting: “If leaders from regions without natural resources reached the presidency, why not someone from resource-rich Tarkwa?”
Duker lost his seat decisively in December’s elections to National Democratic Congress rival Sheikh Issah Salifu Taylor, who secured 47% against Duker’s 36%. The upset followed months of internal friction within the NPP, now Ghana’s opposition after John Mahama’s 2024 victory.
While not naming specific saboteurs, Duker insists his removal was strategically engineered. His allegations spotlight persistent tensions within the NPP as it regroups ahead of the 2028 presidential race. With the party needing fresh leadership, might such internal rivalries hinder its rebuilding efforts?
