NPP Flagbearership Race Heats Up Amid Deep Divisions and Reform Controversy

NPP Flagbearership Race Heats Up Amid Deep Divisions and Reform Controversy

ByLawrence Kojo Addo Cheremeh 

The internal dynamics of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) are heating up as flagbearer hopefuls jostle for position ahead of the party’s January 2026 presidential primaries, with rising tensions and sharp divisions threatening to undermine party unity and democratic reform efforts.

In the wake of growing factionalism and discontent over the party’s newly proposed electoral timetable, Hon. Yaw Patrick Boamah, Member of Parliament for Okaikoi Central and a declared flagbearer aspirant, has issued a clarion call for structural renewal and discipline within the party.

“The New Patriotic Party (NPP) needs a strong party, well organized and disciplined to produce a President — not just a Flagbearer,” Boamah stated.

His remarks come at a time when the NPP is battling widespread criticism over its controversial “top-bottom” electoral proposal — a novel approach that schedules the flagbearer elections ahead of constituency, regional, and national executive elections, in a reversal of the party’s long-standing “bottom-up” tradition.

Crowded Race, Divided Party

The race for the NPP flagbearership has attracted a formidable lineup of aspirants, including:

• Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the party’s 2024 flagbearer and immediate past Vice President
• Hon. Kennedy Agyapong, outspoken Former MP for Assin Central
• Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, MP for Bosomtwe and former Minister for Education
• Addai Nimo, three-time flagbearer aspirant and former MP for Mampong
• Kwabena Agyapong, former General Secretary and flagbearer aspirant
• Hon. Bryan Acheampong, MP for Abetifi and former Minister for Food and Agriculture
• Hon. Asenso Boakye, MP for Bantama
• Boakye Agyarko, former Energy Minister and veteran flagbearer hopeful

While the sheer number of contenders reflects robust interest in the party's leadership, it has also intensified factionalism and claims of internal manipulation.

According to reports, over 60 sitting MPs are backing Dr. Bawumia, while Kennedy Agyapong's camp claims support from about 50 current MPs and 200 former MPs — a show of strength that has been vigorously disputed by both sides.

Top-Bottom or Bottom-Up? Timetable Sparks Uproar

The NPP’s proposed timetable sets polling station elections for December 6, 2025, with presidential primaries to follow on January 31, 2026. Dates for constituency, regional, and national executive elections remain unannounced.

This sequence has sparked fierce resistance from party grassroots and several aspirants, who argue that holding flagbearer elections before executive reorganization is strategically skewed to favor Dr. Bawumia and the current executive leadership, many of whom are seeking re-election despite presiding over the party’s 2024 electoral defeat.

Critics say the proposal undermines internal democracy and transparency and could entrench incumbents at the expense of accountability and reform.

The Fallout from 2024: No Lessons Learned?

The party’s internal tensions are further compounded by the lack of a publicly released post-election review or audit of its 2024 defeat — a historic loss marked by the largest ever vote margin between an NDC presidential candidate and that of the NPP.

Analysts say the leadership’s failure to publish a transparent post-mortem and the apparent rush to elect a flagbearer without first reforming the party’s foundation is fueling disillusionment among the base and stakeholders alike.

What Lies Ahead

With less than six months until the first round of elections and no consensus on the reform roadmap, the NPP faces a critical test of its unity, credibility, and democratic character.

Hon. Yaw Boamah’s comments underscore a growing call within the party for substance over symbolism, and for a reordering of priorities.

“You cannot build a new presidency on a fractured party. The foundation must come first,” one political analyst told The Ghana Voice.

Whether the NPP will listen to these internal and external voices — or continue on its current trajectory — remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: the party’s 2026 flagbearership contest may prove just as defining as any national election it seeks to win.