The new United Party (UP Plus) says it is building a broad-based movement that will permanently disrupt Ghana’s two-party dominance by focusing on economic revival and constitutional reform.
The party’s Interim General Secretary, Yaw Buaben Asamoa, insists that UP Plus is not another short-lived third force, but a “centrist coalition designed to unite Ghanaians,” around solutions rather than slogans.
Speaking in a recent interview, Buaben Asamoa declared that UP Plus was not created merely to challenge the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and National Democratic Congress (NDC), but to redefine political engagement in Ghana.
“We are an emergent force, but we are not the sole third force. This is the difference. This is what will shock the duopoly. This is not Alan Kyerematen’s United Party or some personal third force. No, no, no.
“This is a party that is going to galvanise opinion around a problem – the economy. Because neither of the two have been able to progress us in the area of the economy. We are a centrist party”
Yaw Buaben Asamoa, UP General Secretary
Buaben Asamoa revealed that UP Plus’s long-term sustainability rests on two key pillars: economic revival and constitutional reform. He argued that both NPP and NDC administrations have deepened economic hardship, while the Fourth Republican Constitution has entrenched a political duopoly that excludes smaller parties.
Pushing for Coalition Governments
In outlining UP Plus’s reform agenda, Buaben Asamoa called for an amendment to Article 63(4) and (5) of the 1992 Constitution, which mandates a runoff if no presidential candidate obtains more than 50 percent of votes in the first round.
“You’ll realise that neither of the dominant parties has total control over voter sentiment. There are often runoffs,” he states, arguing that the Fourth Republican Constitution and the country’s political system strengthens the duopoly and stifles political inclusiveness.
“It should be done away with,” he said, proposing coalition governments where no candidate wins outright, allowing smaller political parties to join governing alliances.
“If on the first run, a party makes 50+1, they are home and dry. If they don’t, the smaller parties they would have used as horses to get past 50+1 should be cobbled together and go into government with them as governing partners”
Yaw Buaben Asamoa, UP General Secretary
This proposal, he said, reflects UP Plus’s philosophy of unity and shared governance, rather than divisive competition.
A Broader Mission
UP Plus Director of Communications, Solomon Owusu, earlier described the party as a political platform that seeks to unite the best minds across Ghana’s political and civil society spectrum. He stressed that the movement’s goal is not just to win power, but to restore credibility and accountability to governance.
“It signifies a party that is ready to depose the duopoly that has led this country into its worst ebb. We have been treated to misgovernance by the NPP and the NDC, and the majority of Ghanaians want to see a change”
Solomon Owusu, UP Plus Director of Communications
The party’s leaders say their centrist ideology is grounded in inclusivity, competence, and economic transformation – values they believe can restore public confidence in governance.
UP Plus Chairman Abubakar Saddique Boniface described the party as a home for transformational leadership rooted in integrity and transparency. Party founder Alan Kyerematen called the movement a “new dawn” in Ghana’s political landscape, promising to lead a government focused on practical solutions and sustainable development.
With Ghana’s next general elections scheduled for 2028, UP Plus has already positioned itself as a reform-driven alternative to the political establishment. Its leaders insist that they are not seeking to simply disrupt the system, but to replace it with a more inclusive and economically responsive model of governance.
As Ghana continues to navigate post-crisis economic challenges under President John Dramani Mahama, the emergence of UP Plus signals renewed public appetite for a credible alternative that prioritizes national interest over partisan rivalry.
READ ALSO: Ghana and Nigeria Join Forces to Advance Energy Efficiency
