The New Patriotic Party (NPP) claims that choosing Dr Mahamudu Bawumia as its flagbearer well before the 2028 elections has helped stabilise its internal reorganisation. Newly elected Third Vice Chairperson Nana Akomea said the early selection has reduced the acrimony that often accompanies prolonged flagbearer contests.
Akomea explained that the party has “secured for ourselves the blessing of time” by completing the flagbearer contest early. He added that the wisdom of this move was evident during the party’s recent national executive elections, where “there was not much acrimony” and candidates presented their cases without speaking against each other.
According to Akomea, an unresolved flagbearer contest can create tension throughout the party, feeding chaos at the polling station level. With the flagbearership settled, the NPP can now focus on selecting parliamentary candidates, especially in constituencies without sitting MPs. He said the party’s additional time allows it to be more deliberate in identifying suitable candidates and to assess the demographics of orphan constituencies before candidates begin spending resources on campaigns.
Akomea noted that the NPP used a similar approach ahead of the 2000 elections, but the current strategy will be implemented on a larger, more structured scale. The party can now avoid wasting time and money on candidates who may not fit the demographic profile of a constituency.
With the flagbearer decision settled, the NPP aims to move beyond emotional politics and concentrate on building a strong parliamentary team for the upcoming election cycle.
