By Prince Ahenkorah
The New Patriotic Party’s nationwide tour, dubbed the, “Thank You Tour,” is in limbo, as key figures in the party, have called for its suspension.
Some have withdrawn from the tour, while others remain confident that it is a vital initiative to foster unity and re-energize grassroots supporters in the wake of the 2024 general elections.
The NPP nationwide Thank You Tour, which has already seen a number of showdowns, began on Wednesday, April 23, 2025.
The tour, which the NPP sees as a way to solidify its base and thank the people of Ghana for the support they rallied behind the party during the 2024 election, has turned into a series of confrontations between party leadership.
Former Member of Parliament for Assin Central and contestant in the 2024 NPP presidential primaries, Kennedy Agyapong, has officially withdrawn from the ongoing Thank You Tour, citing security threats to his supporters.
His decision, follows a violent incident involving the stabbing of a student from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), affiliated with Unity Hall.
The victim, a member of Unity Hall’s Jama group, had been reportedly hired by Agyapong’s team to perform at the event held at the Pentecost Church in Bantama, Kumasi.
According to Kennedy Agyapong’s team, a wealthy friend of the former MP who attended the event and gave money to the Jama group.
However, a group of heavily built, gun-wielding men, believed to be affiliated with the NPP, allegedly emerged and forcibly took the money.
A confrontation broke out between the Jama group and the armed men, during which gunshots were fired. In the chaos, one member of the Jama group was stabbed.
The victim was rushed to the emergency unit of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital and is currently receiving treatment.
Kennedy Agyapong and his team have since lodged an official complaint with the Kumasi Central Police Command.
Speaking to the media on Wednesday, Kennedy Agyapong confirmed his withdrawal from the tour and vowed to pursue justice for the victim.
“Because of what happened yesterday, myself and my team want to pull out because lives are threatened. I don’t think I can protect my team enough. So, we want out so that Dr. Bawumia can do his campaign.”
Former Chief of Staff Kwadwo Mpiani has called for a suspension of the NPP Thank You Tour, as it continues to deepen divisions among party faithful.
Boakye Kyeremateng Agyarko, a leading member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has also issued an urgent call for the party’s leadership to reassess the ongoing Thank You Tour, warning that it is veering off course and threatening the unity of the party.
In contrast to the calls for suspension, the former Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, Freddie Blay, has strongly defended the party’s ongoing Thank You Tour, describing it as a vital initiative aimed at fostering unity and re-energizing grassroots supporters in the wake of the 2024 general elections.
His comments come amid growing concerns within the party that the tour, spearheaded by 2024 NPP flagbearer Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, may be exacerbating internal divisions rather than healing them.
However, Blay insisted the initiative is timely and necessary, especially after a demanding national campaign.
In an interview with Channel One TV on Tuesday, April 29, Blay emphasized that the tour should not be seen as a mere ceremonial gesture of gratitude but as a calculated political strategy to maintain engagement with the party’s base and reinforce solidarity.
“I find nothing wrong with that. It would rather ginger up the base. It energizes the base, and some people—we even ask a few more questions, and if it is convenient, they will answer those questions,” he explained.
Blay further dismissed criticisms suggesting that such outreach activities would have been better placed ahead of the elections.
He argued that the current political climate necessitates efforts aimed at reconciliation and internal rebuilding, rather than electoral strategizing.
“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, energize the base, and I believe the Thank You Tour is doing exactly that,” he added.