By Grace Zigah
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) 2025 National Delegates’ Conference, held with fanfare at the University of Ghana Sports Stadium in Accra, was billed as a routine gathering to strengthen party unity and deliberate on internal constitutional reforms.
But the event has since stirred a hornet’s nest within the party, with accusations mounting that the conference was manipulated to stage a covert launch of Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia’s 2028 presidential bid.
While officially organized by the National Executive Committee (NEC) to engage over 6,000 party delegates, the conference quickly became a lightning rod for controversy.
Many within the party allege that the entire event was a carefully orchestrated spectacle meant to solidify Bawumia’s grip on the NPP and marginalize other contenders.
Political Stagecraft
Multiple party insiders, according to the aggrieved contenders have come forward to criticize the conference’s structure, calling it a thinly veiled coronation ceremony for the former Vice President.
“It was a masterclass in political choreography,” one regional executive lamented. “From start to finish, the atmosphere was crafted to present Bawumia as the party’s next flagbearer,” they claimed.
Allegations have surfaced that over 5,000 non-delegates—many of whom were not officially invited—were bused in to fill the stadium stands, waving placards and chanting pro-Bawumia slogans.
According to eyewitnesses, the crowd’s composition gave the illusion of overwhelming grassroots support, a move critics say was designed to drown out any dissenting voices.
Perhaps the most symbolic—and controversial—moment of the day came when Dr. Bawumia and his wife, Samira, took a lap around the stadium’s inner tracks, waving to the crowd as cameras flashed and cheers erupted.
The gesture drew immediate comparisons to a presidential victory parade and allegedly triggered anger among delegates who felt it was inappropriate for the occasion.
Analysts say the optics were unmistakable. Coming just a year after a contentious 2024 primary where Bawumia edged out his rivals, the imagery is being interpreted as an attempt to cement his front-runner status ahead of the 2026 primaries.
Silenced Statesmen
Adding to the simmering tensions was the conspicuous absence of party stalwarts—former President John Agyekum Kufuor and former President Nana Akufo-Addo.
Instead of live participation, their remarks were broadcast via outdated video recordings, which many found troubling.
The exclusion of real-time commentary from these founding figures has fueled suspicions that the NEC deliberately minimized their involvement to maintain control of the event’s messaging.
Party Base Reacts
Among the grassroots, particularly in traditional NPP strongholds like Ashanti and Eastern regions, the reaction has been fierce.
Many feel sidelined by what they describe as a top-down agenda to install Bawumia as flagbearer without proper democratic process.
“They stole the primaries from us in 2024. Now they’re preparing to steal the 2028 race before it even begins,” said a furious youth organizer Ashanti region.
Voices from across the country are now calling for reform, transparency, and equal opportunity for all aspirants.
Some party communicators have even threatened to boycott future party programs if the current trend of favoritism continues.
A Party at Crossroads
The fallout from the conference has ignited urgent conversations about internal governance and credibility within the NPP.
With growing perceptions of manipulation by the party hierarchy, political analysts warn that failure to address these concerns could have dire consequences.
