By Adnan Adams Mohammed
In a searing and reflective address, National Democratic Congress (NDC) stalwart Comrade Kofi Totobi Quakyi has issued a stern warning to the party’s rank and file, urging them to protect the “soul” of the political tradition or risk alienating the Ghanaian electorate.
Speaking on Monday, June 22, 2026, at an event themed “From Revolution to the Fourth Republic: The Rawlings Legacy,” the former Minister and student leader cautioned that the party must never become a vehicle for personal enrichment.
The high-profile event, chaired by Togbega Togbe Afede XIV, brought together party elders, cadres, and stalwarts to reflect on the enduring principles of the movement founded by the late Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings.
Addressing the gathering in Accra, Mr. Quakyi emphasized that honoring the legacy of Jerry John Rawlings requires more than superficial praise-singing. Invoking the wisdom of Socrates, he stated that political movements must engage in honest self-examination.
“The life of Jerry Rawlings cannot be reduced to a few remarks. The revolution he came to embody cannot be reduced to nostalgia,” Quakyi stated. “For political movements too, the unexamined legacy is not worth celebrating.”
While acknowledging that “not every action” during the 19 years of the PNDC/NDC era was perfect, he maintained that the fundamental achievements of the revolution probity, accountability, and the peaceable transfer of power in the year 2000 built the foundational bedrock of Ghana’s Fourth Republic.
A Stern Warning Against ‘Political Mercenaries’
Mr. Quakyi did not mince words regarding the current state and internal discipline of the NDC. He expressed deep concern over whether the party is still widely viewed as the gold standard for public service, questioning if some members have lost sight of its foundational values.
“The NDC was not founded as a vehicle for personal aggrandizement,” Quakyi warned. “It was not founded for opportunists, political mercenaries, contractors of convenience, or persons whose only ideology is personal profit. It was founded as a movement of purpose.”
He challenged party appointees, ministers, and youth executives to confront a disturbing question lingering among the electorate: Are they coming to serve, or merely taking their turn at the helm?
Key Foundations of the Rawlings Legacy Highlighted by Quakyi:
• Strict adherence to probity and accountability
• Prioritizing grassroots and the ordinary Ghanaian
• Strategic timing and discipline over personal ambition
• Ensuring power answers directly to the people
The Danger of Political Indistinguishability
One of the most profound warnings in Quakyi’s address focused on the growing public cynicism toward Ghana’s two-party system. He cautioned that if the NDC fails to distinguish itself from its rivals, it could trigger a collapse in public trust toward constitutional democracy itself.
“The deeper danger is that we may help convince the Ghanaian people that the two dominant parties are, in the end, the same,” Quakyi observed. “When citizens conclude that all parties are alike, they do not merely reject politicians. They begin to reject the democratic system itself.”
He added that such a vacuum of trust would ultimately pave the way for dangerous demagogues to exploit public desperation.
Wear the ‘Dinosaur’ Badge with Pride
Responding to internal party dynamics and generational shifts where older stalwarts are sometimes dismissed as outdated, Quakyi wittily embraced the description.
“Sometimes when those of us from the older stock of NDC speak, we are reminded that the party has moved on, and that we belong to a world of extinct dinosaurs,” he remarked. “We wear that badge with pride—because science tells us that those ancient creatures, over time, gave rise to the birds that soar freely in the skies bearing recognizable colors.”
While expressing gratification that the current John Mahama administration is “keeping the faith,” Quakyi urged the Rawlings Foundation to prioritize leadership development to ensure the party continues to attract people of character rather than those merely seduced by the allure of political power.
He concluded by reminding the party that ambition is healthy, but it must always be guided by sound judgment, unity, and a commitment to the collective good over individual gain.
