John Boadu, the former National Secretary of the New Patriotic Party, has made it clear that his bid for the party’s national chairmanship is a strategic move to secure Dr Mahamudu Bawumia’s 2028 presidential ticket. Speaking to supporters on his campaign tour, Boadu declared,
I am not contesting for the presidency. I have never contested for the presidency. I do not intend to contest for the presidency. I am contesting for the national chairman to make Dr Bawumia president.He added that he will bring three decades of organisational, communication and strategic expertise to rebuild the party after its 2024 defeat.
Boadu filed his nomination on 27 August at the party headquarters in Asylum Down, ahead of the National Delegates Conference on 3 October 2026, where new national executives will be elected. He said the party needs a majority in Parliament to give Bawumia a solid base for his presidential bid, and that under his leadership the NPP will focus heavily on grassroots mobilisation.
Addressing concerns about his relationship with the party’s flagbearer, Boadu highlighted a partnership that dates back to 2008, when Bawumia was first chosen as Nana Akufo‑Addo’s running mate. “I was Dr Bawumia’s first spokesperson. I travelled across this country with him to introduce him to the youth and TESCON. Our relationship is not a product of today’s politics; it is a partnership built on 18 years of trust, loyalty and shared responsibility,” he said.
Running against former National Chairman Paul Afoko, former Energy Minister Boakye Agyarko and former Greater Accra Chairman Sammy Crabbe, Boadu’s campaign stresses disciplined organisational work at the polling station, electoral area and constituency levels. He insists that the party’s success hinges on a strong parliamentary majority, which he believes will translate into a presidential win for Bawumia.
As the NPP prepares for its upcoming conference, observers note that Boadu’s candidacy signals a clear intent to align the party’s executive strategy with Bawumia’s 2028 ambitions. The outcome of the chairmanship race will shape the party’s approach to the next presidential election.
