Pressure is mounting within the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for flagbearer Dr Mahamudu Bawumia to clarify his choice of running mate for the 2028 general election, with former Manhyia North Member of Parliament Collins Owusu Amankwah calling for the early confirmation of Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, popularly known as NAPO.
Amankwah believes settling the issue early would allow the party to move beyond speculation and begin presenting its presidential ticket to voters as it prepares for the next general election.
Speaking to 3News on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, the former MP said the NPP had made significant progress with its internal reorganisation and should now concentrate on rebuilding its grassroots structures and preparing for the 2028 election.
“We have successfully elected our flagbearer and stabilised the party’s grassroots structure, leaving only the national executive elections. We are virtually ready to hit the ground running,” he said.
He argued that the uncertainty surrounding the running-mate position could become a source of unnecessary tension, particularly as individuals interested in the position lobby for consideration.
“The flagbearer now needs to finalise his choice of running mate so that as we step out into the field, we can confidently present a united ticket to the voters,” Amankwah added.
He therefore appealed to Dr Bawumia to retain NAPO and make the decision public.
“I strongly appeal to Dr Bawumia to confirm NAPO now so that right after our national elections, we can begin marketing the ticket to the electorate and demonstrate our readiness to govern,” he said.
The call comes amid continuing discussions within the NPP over who should partner Dr Bawumia in 2028. NAPO served as Bawumia’s running mate in the 2024 presidential election, and some party members have publicly advocated for the ticket to be maintained. In September, NPP figures including leading member Richard Kwadwo Adu also argued that NAPO remains politically relevant to the party’s 2028 plans.
However, the question of the running mate has not been formally settled in public. In August, NPP Ashanti Regional Secretary Dr Francis Adomako said NAPO remained the party’s running mate for 2028 and that the party had not changed him.
Amankwah also urged the NPP leadership to use the period following its internal elections to reconcile members who may have become dissatisfied during previous polling station, constituency and regional contests.
“Our party must capitalise on this momentum, oil the political machine at the grassroots, and reconcile every dissatisfied member as we build a formidable campaign,” he said.
Dr Bawumia was elected the NPP’s flagbearer for the 2028 presidential election at the party’s January 2026 presidential primary. Officially reported results showed him securing 110,643 votes, representing 56.5 per cent of valid votes cast.
NAPO was Bawumia’s running mate in the 2024 election, after his nomination was endorsed by the NPP’s National Council in July 2024. The ticket subsequently became a major feature of the party’s campaign, particularly in the Ashanti Region.
The 2024 election, however, ended with John Dramani Mahama winning the presidency, while Bawumia finished second. The Electoral Commission’s official results provide regional and constituency-level results for that election.
The latest appeal from Amankwah therefore adds to the ongoing internal conversation about whether Bawumia should maintain the 2024 running mate or select a new partner for the NPP’s 2028 campaign.
For now, Amankwah’s call remains an appeal from a former party legislator, rather than a formal announcement of Bawumia’s running mate.
