Even before the party opens nominations for persons interested in contesting for the flagbearer position in the New Patriotic Party (NPP), there seems to be a brewing tension in the largest opposition party.
Currently, two people have openly declared that they are contesting for the position, and they are Kennedy Agyapong and Bryan Acheampong.
Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, who led the political party in the previous election, is still consulting, but grapevine information available to this website indicates that he will contest for the position.
Persons interested in the position have been engaging stakeholders in the political party as they prepare themselves for the election.
However, the leading contenders in the battle, Kennedy Agyapong and Dr Mahamudu Bawumia’s camp, seem to be locking horns with endorsements for their candidacy.
The two camps have over the weeks been battling over who has majority endorsement from the party’s Members of Parliament who are just 88 in the legislative house.
Before Dr Mahamudu Bawumia met with the minority MPs, Kennedy Agyapong’s team had announced that they had the endorsement of over 50 legislators from the political party.
However, after Dr Mahamudu Bawumia’s meeting with the MPs and his team released a communiqué indicating that they have the support of over 60 Members of Parliament, it was described as cosmetic by the Kennedy Agyapong camp.
Today, June 23, 2025, the Dr Mahamudu Bawumia team has announced the endorsement from over 200 former MMDCEs who are stakeholders in the political party.
After the meeting with MMDCEs, the forum of former MMDCEs held a press conference to announce that they are endorsing the former Vice President and the former flagbearer of the NPP.
This has also been described as cosmetic by the Kennedy Agyapong team, who are of the view that the Bawumia team is creating non-existent support to create the impression that he has the backing of stakeholders in the political party.
Kwasi Kwarteng who speaks for the Kennedy Agyapong campaign, is of the view that such false endorsements does not win elections.
But former Deputy Spokesperson for the Bawumia campaign in 2024 Akbar Yussif Rohullah Khomeini in a counter post shared via social media, said “I don’t understand these guys. You were the first to say that 50 MPs are supporting you. We didn’t say anything. We didn’t challenge your claim.
Over 60 MPs responded to your claim by publicly declaring support for Dr. Bawumia.
You moved on to say over 200 former MMDCEs are supporting you. We didn’t say anything. Today, they have, at a press conference, declared publicly for Dr. Bawumia.
Just yesterday, you again said that 187 Parliamentary Candidates are supporting you. We have not said anything.
So who is creating a false sense of support?”
The New Patriotic Party will hold its primaries on January 31, 2026, to elect a flagbearer to lead the political party through opposition.
The party holds the view that the party needs a leader to put the government on its toes while in opposition. They also believe that the current tension in the party needs to be dealt with so that the party can focus on how to wrestle power in the 2028 elections.
