By: Daniel Bampoe
The internal power struggle within the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has intensified following a dramatic display of allegiance by over 60 Members of Parliament (MPs) to former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.
The development has deepened divisions ahead of the party’s crucial 2026 presidential primaries, with rival camps trading accusations over false claims and inflated numbers.
On Thursday, a sizable delegation of NPP MPs stormed Dr. Bawumia’s private office in Accra to pledge their support for his expected candidacy for the 2028 presidential election.
This show of loyalty comes just days after the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) formally announced that its presidential primary would take place on January 31, 2026 — setting the stage for a high-stakes internal contest.
The MPs, drawn from constituencies across all regions, reportedly held a closed-door meeting with Bawumia to encourage him to declare his intention and to assure him of their backing.
Present at the meeting were influential figures including former Minister for Finance Mohammed Amin Adam, MP for Ofoase-Ayirebi, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, and MP for Akuapem North, Sammi Awuku — all known loyalists of the former Vice President.
“This is a sign of where the party’s strength is consolidating,” said a senior party source familiar with the meeting. “It’s not just about support, it’s about direction and continuity.”
But the show of strength has provoked sharp reactions, particularly from the camp of Kennedy Agyapong, a fierce critic of the party establishment and one of Bawumia’s main contenders.
Kwasi Kwarteng, spokesperson for Kennedy Agyapong, dismissed the media spectacle as “optics without substance.”
He questioned the authenticity of the 60 MPs claim, pointing to videos that allegedly show fewer than 30 lawmakers in the meeting room.
“The same camp that claimed to have 137 MPs and all the appointees is now struggling to convince us they’ve retained even 60,” he posted online. “Time changes, indeed.”
This jab prompted a blistering response from Dennis Miracles Aboagye, spokesperson for Bawumia, who accused Kennedy Agyapong’s side of dishonesty and double standards.
In a lengthy social media post, Miracles Aboagye accused the former Assin Central MP’s team of starting the brawl by publicly claiming 58 MPs were in their corner — a claim he says has never been substantiated with proof.
“You shouted about having 58 MPs… where are they?” Aboagye fired back. “Now that MPs are showing up publicly for Dr. Bawumia, you call it a problem?”
He further argued that Bawumia’s camp is grounded in real-time loyalty rather than speculative claims.
“This is not about fake figures — these MPs are showing face and standing tall,” he wrote, challenging the Kennedy camp to match the public support.
The exchange has reignited debates over how influential MPs will be in determining the party’s next flagbearer.
In the 2023 internal primaries, similar dynamics played out when public declarations by MPs and party officials fueled momentum for Bawumia.
However, his eventual lead was not as sweeping as projected, due in part to last-minute shifts and silent endorsements of other candidates like Alan Kyerematen and Kennedy Agyapong.
To counter recent criticism, Aboagye revisited the 2023 figures, listing MPs like Cynthia Morrison, Eugene Boakye Antwi, Kwaku Kwarteng, Peter Amewu, and others who were initially counted among Bawumia’s support base but eventually backed Alan Kyerematen. “If you’re going to get into a debate, step up your fact game,” he warned Agyapong’s camp.
The emerging public clash between the two leading aspirants raises questions about unity and discipline in the NPP’s ranks.
With other prospective contenders like former Agriculture Minister Bryan Acheampong and Education Minister Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum yet to make their moves, insiders say the race remains open — but increasingly volatile.
Party elders and grassroots organizers are reportedly growing concerned about the tone of the campaign even before the primaries officially begin.
The NEC’s decision to fix an early primary date was partly meant to create space for healing after the divisive 2024 elections.
Instead, the party now finds itself on the verge of another bruising internal contest.
