From the day that former Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia was elected the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) on Saturday, January 31, the political equation in Ghana has changed, a former Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Koku Anyidoho, has said.
He noted that for the first time, Ghana is experiencing a flagbearer of an opposition party, 3 years before the next general election.
“Dr. Bawumia is not only the Flagbearer of NPP, he has also been Vice President for 8 years. In December 2024, he was conceding defeat; today, victory has walked his way,” he wrote on X.
He added, “Sincerely wish Dr. Bawumia well on this new journey of his and may Ghana’s democracy grow from strength to strength.
“Your Excellency Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, congratulations sir. Congratulations to NPP for crossing this bridge in peace. May God bless our homeland, Ghana,” he said.
Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has once again been entrusted with the fate of the Dankwah-Dombo tradition come December 7, 2028.
He secured 100,120 votes out of the total votes cast representing 56.39% to achieve this feat.
His closest contender, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong garnered 41,856 votes representing 23.57%.
The other flagbearer aspirants; Dr Bryan Acheampong had 32,985 votes – 18.58%, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum- 1,676 votes- 0.94% and Ing. Kwabena Agyei Agyepong- 375 votes- 0.21%.
| NO. | NAME OF CANDIDATE | VOTES OBTAINED | PERCENTAGE |
| 1 | Kennedy Ohene Agyapong | 46,554 | 23.76% |
| 2 | Bryan Acheampong | 36,303 | 18.53% |
| 3 | Mahamudu Bawumia | 110,643 | 56.48% |
| 4 | Yaw Osei Adutwum | 1,999 | 1.02% |
| 5 | Kwabena Agyei Agyepong | 402 | 0.21% |
This is the second time Dr Bawumia will be representing the NPP in Ghana’s presidential election. In 2023, he was handed the mantle and proceeded to contest now President John Mahama and lost.
Some analysts say, because he has already been marketed by the party, by re-electing him, the party stands a better chance of winning the 2028 presidential election. They argue that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) is disadvantaged because President Mahama has exhausted his term limit, thus a new candidate would have to be presented.
This argument has been countered by other analysts who contend that the outcome of the 2028 election will depend on not just the candidate to be presented by NDC, but the organisational structure that the party will back the candidate with as well as which party the electorate deem credible and has their interest at heart.
That contest is nearly 3 years away.
The January 31, 2026 flagbearer election was generally peaceful, except a little incident in the Ablekuma North Constituency involving the party’s 2024 parliamentary candidate, Akua Afriyie.
