The aftermath of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Delegates Conference, held on Saturday, July 19, at the University of Ghana Stadium, has sparked controversy within the party. Key members of Kennedy Agyapong’s campaign team have raised concerns about what they describe as “engineered optics” favoring former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.
In a strongly worded statement issued by Kwasi Kwarteng, spokesperson for Agyapong’s campaign team, they claimed that a carefully designed scheme was creating an unfair advantage in the flagbearership race. “Let it be noted that, with the exception of Dr. Bawumia, no other flagbearer hopeful was given access to the inner perimeter of the stadium to interact with and wave at delegates,” the statement read. “This exclusive access, which was conveniently captured and circulated, creates a skewed and clearly engineered impression of massive support.”
Kwarteng argued that the true sentiment of the party’s grassroots could only be measured at the outer perimeter of the venue, where all other aspirants—including Kennedy Agyapong—were allowed to engage with delegates on equal footing. “If we want a fair and honest assessment of where the grassroots love truly lies, we must turn our attention to the outer perimeter,” he added. “You can even compare the videos of Ken’s entry to that of Dr. Bawumia, and you’ll understand the point clearly.”
For Kwarteng, the continued approach by organisers to favour the former veep shows a failure to learn any lessons from the NPP’s painful loss in the 2024 general elections, describing the controlled optics and “choreographed endorsements” at the conference as reminiscent of the missteps that led to the party’s historic defeat in the Fourth Republic.
“This is the same path we’re going down again. If we haven’t learnt any lessons, then maybe we need to take a class at the Patriotic Institute,” Kwarteng quipped.
Calling on party delegates to rise above “stage-managed spectacles,” the Agyapong camp is urging what they describe as “real change” rather than “a leadership-imposed narrative.”
“2028 is about winning elections, not staged endorsements,” the statement concluded, signaling Kennedy Agyapong’s camp’s readiness to intensify its push for the NPP flagbearership ahead of the 2026 primaries.
Saturday’s Delegates Conference brought together thousands of party faithful, regional and national executives, former appointees, and presidential hopefuls, as the NPP gears up for a crucial internal contest to elect a new leader to steer the party into the 2028 general elections.
While Vice President Dr. Bawumia’s presence at the event drew visible cheers and wide coverage, the reaction from other camps suggests that the race for the NPP flagbearer slot remains deeply competitive and politically charged.
By Eric Egbeta
