Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Ghana’s former vice president, secured the New Patriotic Party’s presidential nomination with 56.48 percent of valid votes cast in Saturday’s primary, a victory political analysts say demonstrates his expanding support across the country despite a three-way competitive race.
Bawumia captured 110,643 votes at the national collation center at NPP headquarters in Asylum Down, Accra, according to official results declared Saturday evening. Former Food and Agriculture Minister Dr. Bryan Acheampong finished second with 36,303 votes (18.53 percent), while former Assin Central legislator Kennedy Ohene Agyapong placed third with 46,554 votes (23.76 percent).
Former Education Minister Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum received 1,999 votes (1.02 percent), and former NPP General Secretary Kwabena Agyei Agyepong garnered 402 votes (0.21 percent). A total of 195,901 valid votes were cast out of 196,462 total ballots, with 561 rejected.
Political analyst Ali Moro dismissed suggestions that Bawumia’s performance represented declining popularity compared to his 60-plus percent showing in the 2023 contest, arguing the opposite during an interview Monday on A1 Radio’s Day Break Upper East Show.
“I do not agree with the assertion that he has lost popularity within the party compared to 2023,” Moro said. “It is rather the contrary. I think he has gained more popularity if you look at the wins per constituencies and then the wins per regions.”
Moro noted that Bawumia won 14 of Ghana’s 16 regions, losing only Central Region and Volta Region. He emphasized that the former vice president performed “relatively very well” in Central Region, the home base of Agyapong, one of his strongest challengers, and won Eastern Region, considered a stronghold of Acheampong and the NPP.
“If you look at the regions that really do matter in our elections and in the elections of the NPP, you would see that he did extremely well in those regions,” Moro said.
The analyst attributed the lower percentage to the dynamics of a three-candidate race compared to the 2023 primary, which saw a large field narrow to essentially two frontrunners by day’s end.
“This time, what we saw was three very strong candidates emerging and if you have three very strong candidates, definitely there is going to be a split of the numbers in terms of percentage terms,” he said.
Moro expressed surprise at Acheampong’s strong second-place finish, saying he had “written him off” before the election. He noted the narrow margin of about 10,000 votes between Acheampong, a first-time presidential contender, and Agyapong, who was making his second bid for the nomination.
“The basic and simple clear message is that the Ghanaian voter is now leaning towards a younger candidate,” Moro said, categorizing Agyapong, Adutwum and former President John Kufuor as “the older pack” while placing Acheampong and Bawumia in “the younger group in terms of age.”
The analyst credited Acheampong’s performance partly to his public profile-building efforts, including posting bail for NPP activist Charles Owusu, known as Wontumi, when he was jailed.
“When Wontumi was in jail, it wasn’t that the people within the NPP cannot give that money or cannot stand surety for that money but it’s because people are not willing to put themselves out to scrutinize,” Moro said. “Bryan came out for him and the entire NPP saw that he came out for him.”
Moro predicted Acheampong is positioning himself for future leadership, suggesting he will be “the main guy in 2036” rather than a serious contender in 2032.
Regarding party unity ahead of the 2028 general election, Moro said he expects a smooth reconciliation process. He noted that Bawumia has pledged to reach out to his primary opponents and establish a reconciliation committee or council.
“We’ve heard that the former president didn’t vote and the reason I think one of his spokespeople came and said the reason why he didn’t vote was that he was putting himself available to be able to reconcile and mediate,” Moro said.
The analyst pointed out that both Acheampong and Bawumia served together in cabinet during the previous NPP government’s eight-year tenure, suggesting they can work together effectively.
“Bryan and then Bawumia were members in cabinet and then they’re all in the same government for the past eight years. They would be able to work together,” he said. “I do not think it is going to be a difficult process.”
Moro added that Adutwum and Agyepong also worked in cabinet with Bawumia, further facilitating party unity efforts.
The victory comes as the NPP regroups following its loss in the 2024 general election to the ruling National Democratic Congress led by President John Mahama, ending the party’s eight-year hold on power. Bawumia was the NPP’s presidential candidate in that election.
Returning Officer Samuel Dottoh Kwamah declared the results at 7:50 p.m. local time Saturday. The primary drew approximately 211,849 eligible delegates who voted at 333 polling centers across the country.
Source: A1 Radio | 101.1 Mhz | Mark Kwasi Ahumah Smith | Bolgatanga
