BY Daniel Bampoe
Former Dome-Kwabenya Member of Parliament and ex-Minister, Sarah Adwoa Safo, has made a decisive and highly personal intervention in the ongoing New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential primary, openly declaring her support for former Vice-President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia while distancing herself from her former partner, Assin Central former MP Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, the father of her two children.
Speaking to NPP delegates and supporters in her house over the weekend, Adwoa Safo stressed that her political future and ambitions lie with Dr Bawumia, describing him as the central pillar for the party’s next phase of leadership.
“I do not hate Honourable Kennedy Agyapong. We have two beautiful children together, one male and one female; therefore, I do not hate him,” she clarified.
“But this is not a matter of family and friends in the NPP party. My future lies with Dr Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumia.” Adwoa Safo’s remarks mark the latest in a series of public statements highlighting tension between her political positioning and Kennedy Agyapong’s presidential aspirations.
She raised concerns that should Agyapong emerge as party leader and later President, her decades-long service in Parliament and ministerial roles could be disregarded.
The former Minister for Gender, Minister for Procurement, and Deputy Majority Leader, who has served as a Member of Parliament for 12 years, cautioned that political ambition must be tempered with respect and strategic thinking.
She urged NPP delegates to prioritize unity, merit, and the long-term interests of the party over personal loyalties.
She also directly criticized former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta for economic mismanagement during the previous NPP government, defending Dr Bawumia from claims that he bore responsibility for the country’s fiscal challenges.
“Was Dr Bawumia the finance minister? He was only the driver’s mate and could not overrule the driver, even if the driver was not performing well,” she said.
She stressed that economic decisions were taken at the highest levels of government and that Dr Bawumia’s role was limited, making it unfair to assign him sole blame.
In a pointed warning to delegates, Adwoa Safo condemned candidates who publicly demean women, citing her own experiences with verbal attacks by Agyapong.
“If you are going to elect a candidate who opens his mouth to rain insults on women, how would women vote?” she asked.
She recounted allegations that Agyapong had called her disrespectful, accused her of misusing government funds, and made disparaging remarks about her family background.
She warned that overlooking such conduct could damage the party’s electoral prospects, especially with women voters.
Reflecting on the NPP’s recent loss in government, Adwoa Safo urged members to learn from past mistakes, particularly the perception that family and friends were prioritized in appointments.
“While in government, we made that mistake, and it has cost us,” she observed.
The NPP prepares for its presidential primaries slated on January 31, 2026, where Dr Bawumia will face off against Kennedy Agyapong, former Agriculture Minister Bryan Acheampong, former Education Minister Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, and former NPP General Secretary Kwabena Agyepong.
