In the aftermath of the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) defeat in the 2024 general elections, the Young Elephants Study Group, a youth-led faction within the party, has announced an independent investigation to complement the party’s official committee efforts.
The move comes as part of the group’s commitment to critically assess the factors that contributed to the NPP’s loss in a historic election.
The group’s statement, released on 11 January 2025, outlined its focus on several key areas that might have played a role in the party’s electoral setback. These include voter apathy, particularly among Generation Z, disengagement by polling station executives, the influence of government policies on voter behaviour, low voter turnout, and internal rifts between the party leadership and the government. The group stressed that their investigation aims to offer fresh perspectives that could enhance the party’s recovery and strengthen its unity moving forward.
“We believe it is important to approach the issue with a variety of viewpoints, as our findings will only serve to complement the party’s efforts,” the Young Elephants stated. Their initiative will provide an in-depth look into the unique challenges younger voters, particularly Generation Z, faced in the election. Many from this demographic appear to have rejected the NPP, and the study intends to understand the roots of this discontent.
In addition, the group will address the significant non-participation of grassroots polling station executives, whose absence from the electoral process may have contributed to the party’s poor performance. This failure to engage key party members on the ground is viewed by many as a critical oversight in the run-up to the elections.
The NPP’s official committee, set up to evaluate the defeat, is expected to focus on the party’s broader strategies, its campaign messaging, and the challenges of communicating policy successes to voters, which some claim led to widespread disillusionment among the electorate. Meanwhile, the Young Elephants are seeking to provide a more grassroots-level perspective, exploring how internal party dynamics and the political climate affected voter behaviour.
The announcement comes amid growing internal scrutiny within the NPP following the election, with particular attention on the party’s struggle to win the northern regions despite both presidential candidates — Mahamudu Bawumia of the NPP and John Mahama of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) — hailing from that area. Additionally, the party faces criticism over the effectiveness of its communication strategy, with many claiming that the government failed to adequately highlight its achievements.
The independent study promises to provide critical insights that could shape the NPP’s future strategies and help restore its standing among the electorate. As the NPP looks toward rebuilding and redefining its approach ahead of future elections, the Young Elephants Study Group’s findings could play a key role in influencing the party’s path forward.