Former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has emerged victorious in the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) presidential primaries, securing the party’s flagbearer position for the 2028 general elections.
Dr. Bawumia polled 110,645 votes, representing 56.48 percent of the total valid ballots cast, to defeat four other contenders. The Electoral Commission (EC) officially declared the results on Saturday, January 31, 2026, following vote collation from more than 300 polling centres nationwide.
Businessman and former Assin Central Member of Parliament Kennedy Ohene Agyapong placed second with 46,554 votes (23.76%), while former Minister for Food and Agriculture Dr. Bryan Acheampong finished third with 36,303 votes (18.53%).
Former Education Minister Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum obtained 1,999 votes (1.02%), and former NPP General Secretary Kwabena Agyei Agyapong garnered 402 votes (0.21%).
A total of 195,903 valid votes were cast by 211,849 accredited delegates across all 277 constituencies, after adjustments were made to the original register to account for deaths and forfeitures. Voting took place between 7:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., with party officials describing the process as peaceful, transparent, and orderly. Security agencies were deployed nationwide to ensure a smooth exercise.
Dr. Bawumia recorded strong performances in most regions, particularly in Greater Accra and the Ashanti Region, the party’s two largest voting blocs. Greater Accra contributed about 40,162 delegates (19%), while Ashanti accounted for 36,620 delegates (17%).
Kennedy Agyapong, however, secured a decisive win in the Effutu constituency, the political base of Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, polling 644 votes against Bawumia’s 79.
Dr. Bryan Acheampong also made a notable showing by winning the Volta Region with 5,234 votes, marking a shift from the 2023 primaries where Kennedy Agyapong dominated the region.
In Bono East, Dr. Bawumia swept all constituencies with 5,049 votes, while Acheampong and Agyapong placed second and third respectively. Bawumia also maintained strong support in the Northern Region and performed solidly across the remaining regions.
The NPP National Headquarters contributed 153 delegates, while the party’s Diaspora chapter accounted for 824 delegates, highlighting the party’s growing international presence.
All four defeated aspirants conceded defeat before the official declaration of results. Kennedy Agyapong urged his supporters to remain calm and work toward party unity. Dr. Bryan Acheampong accepted the outcome, describing the result as a setback but pledging support for the party. Kwabena Agyapong and Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum also called for reconciliation among party members.
Political analyst Michael Ebo Amoah described Acheampong’s third-place finish as significant, noting that his performance positions him as an influential power broker within the party.
Former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo congratulated Dr. Bawumia and urged him to lead with clarity and purpose as preparations begin for the 2028 elections. Ashanti Regional Chairman Bernard Antwi Boasiako (Chairman Wontumi) also called for unity ahead of the polls.
The victory marks Dr. Bawumia’s second consecutive win in NPP presidential primaries. He previously defeated Kennedy Agyapong in the 2023 contest with 61.43 percent of the vote. Unlike the two-horse race in 2023, the 2026 primaries featured five contenders, making Bawumia’s majority win particularly significant.
Dr. Bawumia served as Vice President from 2017 to 2025 and led the NPP into the 2024 general elections, where he lost to President John Dramani Mahama of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Following its defeat in the 2024 elections, the NPP now operates as the main opposition party. Dr. Bawumia’s endorsement as flagbearer sets the stage for his second bid for the presidency in 2028, with party leaders indicating that reconciliation efforts will begin immediately to unite all factions ahead of the national campaign.
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