No Second Chance for Bawumia -Team Ken To NPP Ahead of Crucial Primaries

No Second Chance for Bawumia -Team Ken To NPP Ahead of Crucial Primaries

With just days to the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) presidential primaries, the campaign team of Hon. Kennedy Ohene Agyapong has mounted a strong case against granting Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia a second opportunity to lead the party into the 2028 general elections, insisting that only a change in leadership can return the party to power.

Addressing a press conference in Kumasi, Sheik Dauda Mohammed, the NPP Constituency Secretary for Kintampo North, speaking on behalf of Team Ken, said the overriding objective of the NPP remains winning political power in 2028 and forming the next government in 2029.

According to him, this goal can only be achieved if delegates elect a flagbearer with proven grassroots appeal, credibility, and a compelling message that resonates with the Ghanaian electorate.

“As a political party, our sole ambition is to recapture power in 2028,” Sheik Dauda stated. “This places a heavy responsibility on delegates to choose a flagbearer who can win the general election convincingly—one touch.”

In this regard, Team Ken has formally appealed to NPP delegates voting on 31 January 2026 to cast their ballots for Hon. Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, Number One on the ballot paper, arguing that his track record within the party and beyond makes him the most viable candidate.

Loyalty and Sacrifice to Party Cause
The team underscored Mr. Agyapong’s long-standing commitment to the NPP since its formation, describing him as a devoted party man who has consistently invested his resources, time, and energy into the party’s growth.

They cited his contributions, including the supply of vehicles, party T-shirts, clothing, and significant financial support to party structures and parliamentary candidates across the country.

According to Team Ken, Mr. Agyapong played an active role during the 2024 electioneering campaign, touring the length and breadth of the country alongside Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh (Napo), then running mate to Dr. Bawumia, to canvass votes for the party.
Grassroots Appeal and Delegate Welfare.

A central pillar of Team Ken’s argument is Mr. Agyapong’s grassroots credentials. They described him as the only aspirant among the five contenders who truly understands and connects with the party’s base, maintaining open doors to polling station executives and ordinary party members.
They further highlighted his interventions in the welfare of party faithful, including support for medical surgeries, payment of school fees, provision of rice during festive seasons, and facilitation of employment opportunities for polling station executives.

Industrialist with a Jobs Message
Team Ken also presented Mr. Agyapong as a proven industrialist capable of driving Ghana’s economic transformation. They pointed to his investments in cassava starch processing, fruit and steel manufacturing, plastic production, and what they described as the largest cold storage facility in West Africa. Collectively, these ventures, they said, have created over 7,000 jobs for unemployed Ghanaian youth.
In contrast to past campaign themes, the team argued that the NPP can no longer rely on messages around the cedi-dollar narrative, digitization, or macroeconomic management, noting that these issues failed to resonate with voters in the 2024 elections. Instead, they believe Mr. Agyapong’s message of jobs, skills training, factories, and industrialization offers the party a fresh and winning appeal for 2028.

Anti-Corruption Stance and National Philanthropy
The speakers emphasized Mr. Agyapong’s outspoken stance against corruption, stressing that his criticism has spared no one, including members of his own party. They portrayed him as an honest, transparent, and incorruptible leader trusted by Ghanaians.

They also cited his philanthropic interventions in national development, including support for the cardiothoracic centre at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital and a power plant at the Tamale Teaching Hospital, among others.
Lessons from the 2024 Defeat.

A significant portion of the press conference focused on the NPP’s performance in the 2024 general elections, particularly in the northern regions. Team Ken recalled assurances given during the 2023 NPP presidential primaries that Dr. Bawumia’s candidacy would secure Zongo, Muslim, and northern votes. However, they argued that the 2024 results disproved that claim, as the party suffered heavy losses in Zongo communities and across much of northern Ghana.

They described the outcome as a clear indication that selecting a flagbearer from regions where the party lacks electoral strength is “politically suicidal and strategically unwise.”
According to the team, after sixteen years of marketing Dr. Bawumia—both in opposition and in government—and suffering a defeat of over 1.7 million votes in 2024, it would be unrealistic to expect a different outcome in 2028 if he is given another chance.
Call for Unity and Discipline
Team Ken further portrayed Mr. Agyapong as a unifier committed to healing internal divisions within the party. They said discipline would be central to his leadership, stressing that no organization can achieve its goals without strict adherence to its constitution and core values.

“The outcome of the 31 January 2026 election will determine whether the party remains on a sick bed or is discharged,” Sheik Dauda warned. “Delegates must reflect deeply on the consequences of their choice.”

Final Appeal to Delegates
In concluding, Team Ken urged delegates to vote decisively for Hon. Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, describing him as “the voice of the voiceless, the hope of the hopeless, and the redeemer of the vulnerable and the poor.”
They expressed confidence that with Mr. Agyapong as flagbearer, the NPP would be re-energized, reunited, and positioned for victory in the 2028 general elections.
“We can no longer waver,” the team declared. “The NPP must win power in 2028—and the man to lead us there is Kennedy Ohene Agyapong.”

Story by Anita Frimpong