A supporter of Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, was stabbed yesterday during the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Thank You tour in the Bantama constituency of the Ashanti Region.
According to eyewitnesses, the incident occurred, following a confrontation involving unidentified individuals.
The victim, whose identity remains unknown, was reportedly attacked amid the gathering. Pictures of him half-naked in a hospital with blood stains on his bed later went viral on social media.
“One of the boys we were with was stabbed by some individuals. He was initially taken to the Suntreso Hospital, but staff there said they couldn’t manage the situation, so he was transferred to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital,” a member of Mr Agyapong’s team revealed under anonymity.
Lawyer Kwesi Kwarteng, a former Public Relations Officer (PRO) for the Ministry of Education and a member of Mr Agyapong’s campaign team, confirmed the incident in a Facebook post.
The injured supporter is currently receiving medical treatment.
Mr Agyapong, was seen at the hospital visiting, the injured supporter.
Meanwhile, Mr Agyapong’s team has reported the matter to the police for investigation.
The NPP’s Thank You tour, is part of the party’s post-primaries engagements across the country.
Tensions have, however, lingered in some areas following internal disagreements after the party’s presidential primaries.
Former New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer aspirant, Kwabena Agyepong, has emphasised the need for the party to move beyond the blame game and focus on learning from its 2024 electoral defeat to rebuild and restore public trust.
Speaking in an interview with Umaru Sanda Amadu on Channel One TV’s Face to Face on Tuesday, April 29, Agyepong, said the party must avoid being “imprisoned by the past” and instead draw meaningful lessons from the loss.
He highlighted growing dissatisfaction among party members with the internal electoral process, which many view as “monetised” and “manipulated.”
According to Agyepong, there is a growing push for a more inclusive system, with some members advocating for a broader voting base of card-bearing party members.
“I don’t want to go into history because what I have learned is that you can’t reverse what has happened in the past. So, you learn lessons from it. And as a political party, we should learn lessons from the defeat. That is why we put together, this Oquaye committee,” he said.
He added, “It’s important we don’t get imprisoned by the past. Learn quick lessons, and NPP has a lot of platforms, you run through it, and what is clear is that people are dissatisfied with the closed electoral system, which they feel has been monetised, manipulated in the past.
“So we are looking for more inclusive arrangements. There are two schools of thought—either we go the full haul and open it up to all card-bearing members.”
Responding to calls for identifying and blaming those responsible for the defeat, Agyepong firmly rejected the idea.
“I totally disagree with you. People have held poles and assigned percentages to those who are to be blamed for our defeat, but it doesn’t change the fact that we’re in opposition. I’m not going to waste precious time and emotions to look at that. We are out of the office.”
He urged party members to shift their focus toward rebuilding and regaining public confidence.
“Any honest party leader knows why. No corporate entity brings out its strategy plan in public. To rebuild and regroup is to earn the respect of the country and win back our lost supporters. It’s the interventions that matter.”
Ex-Chairman Freddie Blay has reacted to internal criticisms surrounding the party’s ongoing ‘Thank You’ tour, defending it as a crucial step toward rebuilding unity and energising the grassroots following the 2024 elections.
Amid concerns from some party insiders that the tour, led by NPP’s 2024 flagbearer, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, is deepening rifts within the party, Blay maintained that such engagements are necessary in the aftermath of a major electoral campaign.
Speaking on Channel One Newsroom yesterday, Tuesday, April 29, he clarified that the tour is not just about gratitude but a strategic move to reconnect with the party’s support base and sustain momentum.
“I find nothing wrong with that. It rather gingers the base. It energises the base, and some people, we even ask a few more questions, and if it is convenient, they will answer those questions,” Blay said.
He dismissed claims that such outreach should have occurred before the elections, arguing that the party must now prioritise healing and cohesion over electoral timelines.
“Anybody who says that it is wrong and that we should wait for elections, I think their main focus is on elections. The party’s main focus is to bring the party together, and as I mentioned, energise the base, and I believe the ‘Thank You’ tour is doing exactly that,” he added.
Blay’s remarks highlight a growing debate within the NPP on the way forward, as the party works to regroup and chart a path toward future electoral success.