Comedian and actor Kalybos has said the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) defeat in the 2024 general elections did not come as a surprise to him.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Showbiz A-Z on Saturday, July 5, 2025, the actor, known in private life as Richard Asante, pointed to economic hardship and the party’s disconnect from the people as major reasons for its electoral loss.
“With our democratic system here, it looks like every eight years, the people will bring in a new government. And it depends on how peeved people are during your last term,” he said. “It was in shambles. It was in a mess, for a lot of things going bad. It was bound to happen, let me just put it that way.”
Kalybos, who openly supported the NPP during the 2020 elections, stated that despite being a staunch member of the party, he could not ignore the reality of the situation.
“I am a full party person but when it is A, you need to say A. There was a problem. There was someone who would not listen,” he said, referring to the party’s failure to heed public concerns during its last term in office.
He noted that the internal disunity and poor economic management contributed significantly to the party’s loss and hoped that the defeat would prompt reflection and reform.
“It got to a time they weren’t really for the people. That is where I think the problem came from. And now I think they are righting their wrongs and I think they will do better,” he added.
Despite the setback, Kalybos reaffirmed his loyalty to the NPP, citing the Free Senior High School policy as one of the key reasons for his continued support. He said the initiative had significantly eased his personal burden of supporting others through education.
