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Private legal practitioner Maurice Ampaw has issued a caution to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) regarding the potential selection of Kennedy Agyapong as its flagbearer for the 2028 general elections.
Ampaw warned that such a decision could result in the party’s defeat, urging the NPP to consider its strategy to avoid a return to opposition carefully.
Speaking on the Ghana Se Sen Morning Show on Lawson TV/Radio, Ampaw argued that while Agyapong enjoys significant popularity, this does not necessarily guarantee electoral success.
He emphasised that the NPP’s best chance of retaining power lies in presenting Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia as its candidate once again.
If the NPP wants to stay in opposition, then they should bring Kennedy Agyapong. He is popular, but will that popularity translate into actual votes from NPP members?
Ampaw asserted that Dr. Bawumia’s loss in the 2024 elections was not due to his own shortcomings but rather the baggage he inherited from President Akufo-Addo’s administration.
He criticised the NPP for failing to effectively market Bawumia’s candidacy and highlighted how internal party conflicts during the primaries weakened his public image.
Somebody like Kennedy Agyapong tarnished Bawumia’s image during the primaries, and that made the NDC more popular. All the NDC did was make promises, yet they gained from our mistakes.
Ampaw also accused Kennedy Agyapong of insincerity, arguing that if he genuinely supported Bawumia, he should be advocating for him to have another chance in 2028 instead of pursuing the position himself.
He claimed that Agyapong’s support for Bawumia in the 2024 campaign was more damaging than helpful.
Bawumia is not smart, but even though it was his first time, he still managed to secure 42%. That means people believed in his vision, yet many NPP supporters abandoned him at the polls.
Additionally, Ampaw noted that Bawumia secured 42% of the votes primarily from floating voters, while many NPP loyalists refused to vote.
He added that former President John Mahama only increased his vote count by 100,000 compared to the 2020 elections.
The bigger future
The NPP must unite and come back stronger in the 2028 polls. Though it is believed that they failed due to former President Nana Akufo-Addo’s administration, internal divisions have also contributed to their loss.
They must unite to be able to push harder come 2028.