A new study conducted by the Department of History and Political Science at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) has concluded that the selection of Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, popularly known as Napo, as the running mate of Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia had a detrimental effect on the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) fortunes in the 2024 general elections.
According to the study, public awareness of Dr. Prempeh’s candidacy was high, with 85.45% of respondents acknowledging familiarity with his selection as the party’s vice-presidential candidate. However, opinions on his impact on the campaign were deeply divided.
The findings indicate that while 32.24% viewed his selection positively, a significant 47.29% believed he negatively influenced the NPP’s chances in the elections.
Furthermore, public satisfaction with his overall performance was largely negative, with 36.31% of respondents expressing strong dissatisfaction.
In contrast, the study found that Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, Ghana’s former Minister of Education, was the preferred running mate among respondents.
A majority, 53.14%, believed Adutwum would have been the ideal choice for the NPP’s ticket, and 58.56% considered him as the candidate who would have had the most positive impact on the party’s electoral chances.
The research, which analyzed public perception and voter preference regarding the NPP’s vice-presidential candidate, was led by Professor Samuel Adu-Gyamfi, a senior political analyst at KNUST.
Key Insights and Recommendations
He highlighted the mixed sentiments surrounding Dr. Prempeh’s selection and its broader implications for the party’s performance.
“The data reveals a notable 47.29% of respondents who believe that Dr. Prempeh negatively impacted the campaign. This signals a critical challenge for the NPP, as the selection of a running mate should, in principle, bolster support and strengthen the party’s appeal”.
Professor Samuel Adu-Gyamfi
Offering recommendations for future candidate selections, Prof. Adu-Gyamfi underscored the importance of choosing a running mate who complements the presidential candidate and energizes the party’s base.
“The running mate in any political party should potentially, if not galvanize support, serve as an icing on the cake of the campaign. Any choice that fails to do so is a strategic miscalculation”.
Professor Samuel Adu-Gyamfi
Adding to the analysis, Dr. Amakye Boateng, a political scientist at KNUST, pointed to widespread public dissatisfaction with Dr. Opoku Prempeh, which, according to him, played a role in the NPP’s poor electoral showing.
“The numbers suggest that the selection of Napo did not inspire confidence among a large section of the electorate. When voter sentiment leans towards dissatisfaction, it poses significant risks to electoral success”.
Dr. Amakye Boateng, a political scientist at KNUST
The study’s findings align with a broader post-election analysis of the NPP’s historic defeat in the 2024 elections.
The party’s presidential candidate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, secured only 41.7% of the vote, trailing significantly behind the National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate, President Mahama, who won with 56.42%.
In the parliamentary elections, the NPP also suffered a dramatic decline in representation, dropping from 137 seats to just 88. In contrast, the NDC increased its parliamentary strength to 183 seats, securing a commanding majority.
This marked the worst electoral performance for a ruling party in Ghana’s Fourth Republic. The findings of the KNUST study follow a detailed fact-finding report led by former Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, which examined the causes of the NPP’s electoral downfall.
The report, which focused extensively on the Ashanti Region—the party’s traditional stronghold—highlighted issues such as leadership style, internal election processes, and growing discontent among party members as major contributing factors to the party’s defeat.
Political analysts believe that the study’s findings offer crucial insights into how the NPP can rebuild its electoral strategy.
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