Newly elected National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), John Boadu, has pledged to rebuild the party from the grassroots and restore its “winning machinery” following his election at the party’s National Delegates Conference in Kumasi.

Mr Boadu secured 2,888 votes to defeat his closest contender, Boakye Kyerematen Agyarko, who polled 2,408 votes.

Delivering his acceptance speech after the results were declared, Mr Boadu said his election represented a responsibility to serve the party rather than a personal victory.

“Today is not merely a day of victory. It is a day of responsibility and of great unity. I stand before you with a heart full of gratitude and humility,” he said.

Mr Boadu extended a hand of friendship to the candidates who contested the chairmanship race, saying their experience and ideas remained valuable to the NPP.

“To those who contested with us, I extend my hand of friendship and partnership. Your ideas, experience, networks and commitments belong to the New Patriotic Party,” he said.

He rejected the idea of a divided party following the contest.

“There must be no winners and losers. Only one NPP united around one purpose,” he declared.

Mr Boadu said the party must learn, adapt and become more responsive to the changing expectations of Ghanaians.

“Our task is to build a renewed NPP, one that listens more, consults more, organises better, and prepares more deliberately for the future,” he said.

He pledged to work with regional and constituency executives, Members of Parliament, the Minority Caucus, party patrons, external branches and other groups within the party.

The newly elected Chairman placed young people at the centre of his agenda, saying they must feel a sense of belonging within the NPP.

“Our young people must feel that the NPP is their home,” he said.

He also promised to deepen the party’s engagement with TESCON, voluntary groups, social media practitioners and the traditional media.

“A modern political organisation must engage every means of communicating responsibility,” he stated.

He further proposed developing tertiary institutions as centres for constructive political dialogue and leadership development.

Mr Boadu said the new executive team would work with the party’s flagbearer, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, to strengthen the NPP’s organisational and financial structures, particularly at the constituency level.

He cautioned that electoral success could not be taken for granted.

“Political victory is never an entitlement. It must be earned through service, organisation, credibility, and the trust of the Ghanaian people. That is why our preparation begins now,” he said.

Mr Boadu called on members to put the collective interest of the party ahead of individual ambitions.

“Let us choose unity over division, service over personal ambition, organisation over disorder, and hope over despair,” he urged.

He also pledged that his executive team would lead through consultation and work with all sections of the party.

“We will serve the New Patriotic Party with humility, lead through consultation, work with every part of our party, and dedicate this mandate to restoring the winning machinery of our great party,” he said.

He concluded with a declaration of confidence in the party’s prospects in the next general election.

“JB and his executives are back again. Victory is assured in the year 2028,” he stated.

Mr Boadu’s election marks a return to the NPP’s national executive leadership after he lost the General Secretary contest to Justin Frimpong Kodua at the party’s 2022 National Delegates Conference.

Mr Kodua retained the General Secretary position in the latest election.

The new leadership takes charge as the NPP seeks to reorganise its structures following its defeat in the 2024 general election and prepare for the 2028 contest.

Mr Boadu’s challenge will now be to translate his pledges on grassroots mobilisation, unity and organisational renewal into the party’s operations over the next four years.