NPP Presidential Primary - A defining moment as the party seeks to recapture electoral victory in 2028
Ahead of Saturday, January 31, 2026, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) is preparing to elect its next presidential flag bearer in what is shaping up to be one of the most significant internal elections in the party’s history.
Beyond selecting a candidate for the 2028 general election, the primary is expected to signal how the party intends to reorganise, reconnect with its grassroots, and redefine its identity following its 2024 electoral defeat.
The date for the primary was officially announced by the party’s General Secretary, Justin Frimpong Kodua, after a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held on June 17, 2025, and subsequently endorsed by the National Council. Mr Kodua explained that fixing the date falls within the National Council’s mandate and did not require approval from a national delegates’ conference.
The January 31 election would be conducted in 277 voting centres across the country, covering all 276 constituencies and the party’s national headquarters. A total of 214,812 delegates would be expected to vote, with no provision for proxy voting.
Aspirants/ Campaign
Five prominent figures are contesting the flagbearership. They are former Vice-President and 2024 presidential candidate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia; businessman and former Assin Central Member of Parliament (MP), Ken Ohene Agyapong; Bosomtwe MP and former Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum; MP for Abetifi and former Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr Bryan Acheampong, and former NPP General Secretary, Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, a civil engineer and party stalwart.
Each aspirant has embarked on nationwide tours across all constituencies, reflecting a renewed focus on grassroots engagement.
Dr Bawumia has positioned his campaign around party welfare and rebuilding trust at the base.
He has argued that many party supporters abstained from voting in the 2024 elections due to a perceived lack of support and has pledged to introduce a structured welfare system that will function whether the NPP is in government or opposition.
Central to his proposal was the establishment of Welfare Desks at every level of the party to ensure data-driven and equitable distribution of resources to members.
Dr Osei Adutwum has sought to distinguish himself with bold policy proposals, notably his pledge to introduce free university education.
Drawing parallels with the Free Senior High School programme, he maintains that extending free education to the tertiary level is achievable and necessary for national development.
He has also promised welfare initiatives targeted at improving the livelihoods of party grassroots.
Mr Agyei Agyepong, contesting the flagbearership for the third time after earlier bids in 2007 and 2023, has framed his campaign as a return to the party’s founding values of service, sacrifice and selflessness.
He has appealed particularly to the youth and the unemployed, urging delegates to choose leaders with innovative ideas and a clear vision for the country.
Mr Agyapong continues to draw strong grassroots support, presenting himself as a blunt-talking reformer willing to challenge entrenched interests within the party.
His enigmatic style has energised sections of the base but has also generated controversy.
Dr Acheampong said his campaign is progressing very strongly and with clarity of purpose, saying we have engaged close to 90 per cent of delegates nationwide, and we have done so directly, sharing our vision and listening carefully.
“Our message is simple and firm; it is about rebuilding a party that is credible, united, and ready to govern effectively again.
The reception has been positive. Our people appreciate honesty, clarity and a clear plan. That is exactly what I am offering -and they are responding to it.
Reforms, tensions and oversight
The primary would take place against the backdrop of broader internal reforms. In July 2025, the NPP scheduled a National Delegates Conference to consider about 50 proposed constitutional amendments aimed at strengthening the party.
Among the key proposals is a move to abolish the Special Electoral College used in presidential primaries and significantly expand the electoral base to include a wider range of party officials and structures.
The proposed expanded electoral college would include members of the National Council, National Executive Committee, Regional and Constituency Executive Committees, electoral area coordinators, Polling Station Executives, the National Council of Elders, National Patrons, past National Directors who are party members, Members of Parliament, past National Officers, external branch delegates, founder members, TESCON representatives, ministers and deputy ministers, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), and representatives of the party’s special organs.
Fallout/ Endorsement/ Polls
Tensions heightened in early January 2026 when the party requested the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service to investigate allegations of a plot to rig the primary.
The Presidential Elections Committee, chaired by Joseph Osei Owusu, has since outlined safeguards, including meetings with aspirants, the Electoral Commission and the police, as well as the signing of a Peace Pact on January 22.
Former Presidents John Agyekum Kufuor and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo have both urged transparency, commending the committee for its commitment to democratic principles.
Dr Mahamudu Bawumia’s campaign has received major endorsements from 63 sitting NPP Members of Parliament (MPs) and over 118 former parliamentary candidates who contested the 2024 elections.
However, the endorsements have drawn criticism from rival camps. Spokesperson for Kennedy Ohene Agyapong’s campaign, Kwasi Kwarteng, dismissed the declarations as cosmetic, arguing that they do not reflect grass-roots sentiment.
Similarly, the campaign team of Dr Acheampong says it remains unfazed. Mpraeso MP and campaign team member, Davies Opoku Ansah, insisted that endorsements would not affect their momentum, expressing confidence that Dr Acheampong’s extensive constituency outreach would translate into victory.
Conflicting opinion polls underscore the uncertainty of the race.
While Global Info Analytics places Dr Bawumia in the lead, a separate Sanity Africa poll suggests Ken Ohene Agyapong is ahead.
As January 31 approaches, one thing is clear: the outcome will shape the NPP’s future direction and its readiness for the 2028 general election.
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