The National Communications Director of the United Party, Solomon Owusu, has predicted that the New Patriotic Party could secure only 18 per cent of the vote in the 2028 general election, warning that abandoning Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh as running mate to Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia could further weaken the party’s electoral prospects.
Mr. Owusu urged the NPP to retain Dr. Opoku Prempeh, popularly known as NAPO, arguing that any attempt to replace him on the party’s presidential ticket would be inconsistent with the decision to maintain Dr. Bawumia as the party’s flagbearer.
His comments come amid growing discussions within the NPP over who should partner Dr. Bawumia in the 2028 presidential election following the party’s defeat in the 2024 polls.
“The retention of Dr. Bawumia was to tell the entire country that they were satisfied with his performance. If you were satisfied with his performance, why would you change Mathew Opoku Prempeh?”
National Communications Director of the United Party, Solomon Owusu
He maintained that Dr. Bawumia and Dr. Opoku Prempeh contested the 2024 election as a team and should therefore be evaluated together rather than individually.
“The delegates have endorsed Dr. Bawumia and, by extension, they have endorsed the ticket he led in 2024. Remember, one ticket. The running mate is always part of the ticket.”
National Communications Director of the United Party, Solomon Owusu
He argued that retaining Dr. Bawumia while dropping Dr. Opoku Prempeh would send conflicting signals regarding the party’s assessment of its previous electoral performance. “I will be surprised if NAPO is changed,” he said, insisting that continuity remains the strongest option available to the party.
Suggestion of legal action
Taking his argument a step further, Mr. Owusu suggested that any decision to remove Dr. Opoku Prempeh from the ticket could face legal challenges based on concerns about fairness.
“If I am Mathew Opoku Prempeh, I will go to court and explain the fact of unfairness. Any attempt to remove NAPO as the running mate, some of us will go to court on behalf of Mathew Opoku Prempeh and say that they have not been fair to him”.
National Communications Director of the United Party, Solomon Owusu
His remarks introduce a legal dimension to an internal party debate that has increasingly attracted public attention since Dr. Bawumia secured the NPP’s flagbearership for the 2028 election.
Debate over NAPO’s future intensifies
The question of who should serve as Dr. Bawumia’s running mate has emerged as one of the key issues facing the NPP as it prepares for the next general election.
Political analysts and party supporters remain divided on whether the party should maintain the 2024 ticket or introduce a new running mate in an effort to broaden its appeal and improve its electoral prospects.
Supporters of continuity argue that retaining Dr. Opoku Prempeh would project stability and demonstrate confidence in the leadership team that represented the party in the previous election. They also contend that maintaining the existing partnership would allow the party to focus on rebuilding support ahead of 2028.
Others, however, believe the NPP must reassess its campaign strategy and leadership structure following its defeat in 2024. They argue that changes within the presidential ticket could help the party reconnect with voters and address concerns that may have contributed to its electoral setback.
Despite the ongoing discussions, the party leadership has yet to announce any decision regarding the selection of a running mate, leaving room for continued speculation and internal consultations.
United Party weighs in
Mr. Owusu’s intervention is noteworthy because it comes from a senior official of the United Party, a political movement seeking to position itself as an alternative to Ghana’s two dominant political parties.
He has previously argued that political developments within the NPP have contributed to growing public interest in the United Party among sections of the electorate.
With more than two years remaining before the 2028 general election, discussions surrounding Dr. Bawumia’s eventual choice of running mate are expected to remain central to political discourse within the NPP.
The decision is likely to shape internal party dynamics and influence the strategy the party adopts as it seeks to regain power in the next electoral contest.
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