Battle For Supremacy In NPP: Akufo-Addo And Bawumia In Fight For Control Over NPP Executive Positions

The New Patriotic Party is heading back to its stronghold to rekindle its fire.

On Saturday, 3rd October 2026, the party will elect its new National Executives in Kumasi, in the Ashanti Region. For anyone who knows NPP politics, Ashanti is not just a region, it is the base, the heartbeat and the stronghold of the party.

But in the last general elections, even in that stronghold, the party did not do well. That is why many see the decision to send this crucial election to Ashanti as deliberate; to go back to the base and rebuild.

The party has cleared 47 aspirants to contest for nine positions. But for this exercise, we settled on six key positions; National Chairman, National 1st Vice Chairman, General Secretary, National Organizer, National Women's Organizer and National Youth Organizer.

We engaged financiers, key advisers, founding fathers, and movers and shakers of the party, both in Ghana and outside Ghana. We also engaged centre-right and liberal-conservative international entities that are affiliated to the NPP and have special interest in the party's affairs, on the direction and future of the party.

From all these engagements, one thing became clear. This contest is not just about positions. It is a battle for supremacy; about who actually takes hold of the party.

This is not new in the NPP. Between 1992 and 1996, Prof. Albert Adu Boahen held the supremacy of the party. In 1996, former President J.A. Kufuor took hold of the party from him, and subsequently in 1998, he defeated Nana Akufo-Addo to become flagbearer and led the party from 1998 to 2007. In 2007, Nana Akufo-Addo took over when he defeated Alan Kyerematen to become flagbearer and owned the party from 2007 to 2024. Then in 2023, it became a battle between Akufo-Addo and Bawumia on one side against Alan Kyerematen on the other side. After Alan left, it became Bawumia against Kennedy Agyapong in the November 4, 2023 presidential primary. And recently in January 2026, it was again Bawumia versus Kennedy Agyapong for the 2028 flagbearership. This time, the battle for supremacy is directly between Akufo-Addo and Bawumia.

Our key observation was about ownership. Stakeholders were blunt about who is behind each candidate and which camp the respective aspirants belong to; either the Akufo-Addo camp or the Bawumia camp.

National Chairmanship:
For National Chairman, the man backed by the Akufo-Addo camp is Boakye Agyarko. Founding Chairman of the NPP's North America branch, former Minister for Energy, former presidential aspirant who served as National Campaign Manager for Nana Akufo-Addo in 2012 and Policy Adviser to Nana Akufo-Addo in 2016.

The man fielded by the Bawumia camp is John Boadu. He is not just a former General Secretary. He is the only man in the NPP who has held virtually every position at the party headquarters with the exception of Nasara, Women Organizer and National Chairman, making him the longest serving National Executive in the NPP. National Finance Officer, National Youth Treasurer, National Youth Organizer, Deputy National Communications Director, National Organizer and General Secretary. Before the national stage, he rose from the grassroots as Polling Station Chairman, Constituency Secretary and Regional Research and Elections Officer. He is also former Director-General of the State Interests and Governance Authority (SIGA).

National 1st Vice Chairmanship:
For National 1st Vice Chairman, the candidate put forward by the Akufo-Addo bloc is Shaykh Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, PhD. Former National Youth Organiser from 2002 to 2005. For nearly two decades, he was the most trusted voice of President Akufo-Addo, serving as his primary presidential campaign spokesperson from 1997 to the 2016 victory. He later served as Minister for Information (2017-2018), Minister for Inner-City and Zongo Development (2018-2021), and Chief Executive of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA).

The candidate presented by the Bawumia bloc is Hon. Nana Akomea. Former MP for Okaikwei South for four consecutive terms, former Minister for Information (2003-2005) and Minister for Manpower Development and Employment (2007-2009) under President Kufuor. Former Director of Communications for the NPP, former Managing Director of State Transport Corporation (STC). Today, he is one of the chief strategists and communication heavyweights of Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia's presidential machinery.

General Secretary:
For General Secretary, the candidates linked to the Akufo-Addo establishment are Hon. Sylvester Tetteh and Hon. Eugene Boakye Antwi. Sylvester Tetteh is former MP for Bortianor-Ngleshie Amanfro, former CEO of the National Youth Authority (NYA), and former Board Chairman of Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA). Eugene Boakye Antwi is former MP for Subin, former Branch Secretary of NPP UK & Ireland (2005-2008), former member of the NPP National Council (2010-2014) and former Deputy Minister for Works and Housing.

The candidate who belongs to the Bawumia camp is Justin Kodua Frimpong, Esq., the incumbent General Secretary, former CEO of the Youth Employment Agency (YEA), former Ashanti Regional Youth Organizer and former Chairman of the Legal Committee for the National Youth Wing.

National Organizer:
For National Organizer, the man sponsored by the Akufo-Addo camp is Hon. Ali Maiga Halidu, former MP for Dormaa West. A true grassroots man who has served as Polling Station Officer, Constituency Officer, Regional Organizer and member of the NPP National Council, and known to be close to the Akufo-Addo family.

The man pushed by the Bawumia camp is Hon. Glover Daniel Nii Kwartei Titus-Glover. Former MP for Tema East, former Greater Accra Regional Minister, former Deputy Minister for Transport and former CEO of the Volta Aluminium Company Limited (VALCO) (2021-2023), known for his strong defence of Dr. Bawumia on all platforms.

National Women's Organizer:
For National Women’s Organizer, the candidate backed by the Akufo-Addo camp is Hon. Mavis Hawa Koomson. She rose from the grassroots as Constituency Women Organizer for Awutu Senya, before becoming MP for Awutu Senya East, former Minister for Special Development Initiatives and former Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture, a known loyalist of Nana Akufo-Addo.

The candidate fielded by the Bawumia camp is Hajia Safia Mohammed. Currently Deputy National Women's Organizer, former Constituency Women’s Organiser, former Deputy Northern Regional Women's Organizer, former Savannah Regional Women's Organizer, former National Coordinator for the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP), member of NPP National Council and Executive Committee, and a key Zongo mobilizer who worked closely with Dr. Bawumia's campaign.

National Youth Organizer:
For National Youth Organizer, the candidate presented by the Akufo-Addo bloc is Michael Osei Boateng, popularly known as Pope. He rose from Deputy Youth Organizer for Brong Ahafo to become Brong Ahafo Regional Youth Organizer and later Ahafo Regional Organizer, former Deputy Campaign Operations Lead for Ahafo in 2020, former Director of YEA, former National Youth Organizer aspirant and businessman.

The candidate put forward by the Bawumia bloc is Abanga Fuseini Yakubu, popularly known as NPP Abanga. Former TESCON Organiser at University of Ghana, Legon, former National Youth Organizer aspirant, former Parliamentary aspirant for Aowin Constituency, former aide in the Office of the Vice President and a known Bawumia loyalist.

Conclusion:
The message from the party hierarchy is clear. After a poor showing even in its own stronghold, the NPP has gone back to where it is loved most to rekindle its fire. But the fire that will burn after October 3rd is still undecided.

Will it be the fire of Akufo-Addo, burning to protect his legacy and maintain his grip on the party he led from 2007 to 2024? Or will it be the fire of Bawumia, burning to build a new party machine loyal to his 2028 presidential ambition?

The delegates in Kumasi will not just be electing executives. They will be choosing the man who will truly own the NPP for the next four years.

That is the battle for supremacy.
SeLaH!!!
Nana Yaw Boakye Yiadom Opoku Agyemang [N.Y.B.Y.O.A.] | Let Truth Be Told Alliance [L.T.B.T.A.]

+233243065430 | [email protected]