Kwabena Agyepong files first for NPP flagbearer race ahead of 2026 primaries
Former General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, has filed his nomination to contest the party’s upcoming presidential primary, becoming the first aspirant to complete the process.
Mr Agyepong, who was at the party’s headquarters in Accra on Tuesday, August 26, 2025, was accompanied by an enthusiastic crowd of supporters as he handed in his forms.
His decision signals the start of what is expected to be an intense internal contest as the party looks ahead to the 2028 general election.
The NPP opened nominations for the flagbearer slot on July 29 and will close the window on August 28, 2025. The primaries have been scheduled for Saturday, January 31, 2026, with delegates from across the country set to decide who will lead the party into the next election.
Party officials have explained that this year’s primaries will be different from previous contests due to changes to the voter register. At its National Annual Delegates Conference held on July 19, 2025, the party resolved to expand the register to include a wider group of stakeholders.
In a circular issued on Tuesday and signed by Mr William Yamoah, Secretary of the Presidential Elections Committee, the party confirmed that former executives, government appointees, Members of Parliament, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), TESCON leaders and representatives of external branches will all be eligible to vote.
The registration exercise for these additional delegates will run until Friday, September 19, 2025. The party says the move is aimed at broadening participation, ensuring inclusiveness and strengthening legitimacy in the choice of a presidential candidate.
Mr Agyepong’s filing places him at the forefront of the contest, which is likely to attract several high-profile contenders including former Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, former Assin Central MP, Kennedy Agyapong and Abetifi MP, Bryan Acheampong.
His supporters argue that his experience as a former General Secretary and his long-standing service to the party position him as a unifying figure capable of leading the NPP back into government in 2028.
The upcoming primaries are expected to be a defining moment for the NPP, as the party seeks to rebuild momentum in opposition and present a credible alternative to the governing National Democratic Congress. With the contest now officially underway, attention will turn to how other aspirants respond before the close of nominations later this month.
