New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer hopeful, Kennedy AgyapongNew Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer hopeful, Kennedy Agyapong, has called on the party’s leadership to prioritise addressing internal divisions and unresolved grievances before rushing to elect a new presidential candidate for the 2028 general elections.
According to the former Assin Central Member of Parliament, the NPP’s humiliating loss in the 2024 elections was largely self-inflicted, and any attempt to move forward without proper introspection and unity would be disastrous.
Speaking to NPP constituency chairmen on Saturday, June 21, Mr. Agyapong did not mince words.
“If you don’t solve the problems, you can bring Jesus Christ as your presidential candidate, you will still not make it. Because all of us here are going to campaign but what message are we going to give?
“We don’t know the causes of our defeat, so I am of the opinion that we solve all these internal issues before we rush to go and select a presidential candidate.”
Mr. Agyapong’s comments come days after the NPP’s National Executive Council (NEC) announced January 31, 2026 as the date for its next presidential primaries. The announcement followed a NEC meeting held on June 17 at the Alisa Hotel in Accra to discuss proposed constitutional reforms from the committee chaired by former Speaker of Parliament, Prof. Mike Oquaye.
Due to the absence of National Chairman Stephen Ntim, the meeting was chaired by First Vice Chairman Danquah Smith Buttey. It was attended by several key party figures, including former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, General Secretary Justin Kodua Frimpong, Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, and Ashanti Regional Chairman Bernard Antwi-Boasiako.
Although official nominations are yet to be opened, some aspirants have already declared their intentions to contest. They include Kennedy Agyapong, 2024 presidential candidate Dr. Bawumia, and Minister for Agriculture Dr. Bryan Acheampong.
The NPP’s crushing defeat in both the presidential and parliamentary races in December 2024 led to the formation of a post-election review committee headed by Prof. Oquaye to investigate the reasons behind the party’s poor performance.
While the final report has not been released, leaked details suggest that the unpopular policies of former President Akufo-Addo, the handling of the economy by former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, and the selection of Dr. Bawumia as the party’s candidate were major contributors to the defeat.
Kennedy Agyapong insists that until these issues are thoroughly examined and resolved, selecting a new flagbearer will only paper over deep fractures that could doom the party’s chances in 2028.
