Former Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia is making his case for continuity as he campaigns for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer position, with supporters arguing that consistency offers the clearest path to recapturing power in 2028.
Sammi Awuku, Member of Parliament for Akuapim North, endorsed Bawumia during a recent two-day engagement tour of the Central Region, where the former vice president met with current and former party executives and past government appointees to rally support ahead of the January 31, 2026, primary.
“Politics is about consistency, and I believe the NPP must maintain that path by supporting Dr. Bawumia to become our flagbearer. That is the surest way to ensure victory in 2028,” Awuku said, emphasizing that continuity of leadership would strengthen the party’s base and position it favorably for the next election cycle.
The endorsement comes as Bawumia builds momentum across multiple regions. In August, he submitted his nomination forms backed by approximately 400 youth organizers, and more than 60 MPs have publicly rallied behind his candidacy. Regional councils of elders, including 12 of 16 members in the Bono Region, have also declared support.
Bawumia faces competition from former MP Kennedy Agyapong and former Agriculture Minister Bryan Acheampong in what promises to be a contested race. The NPP’s National Executive Committee and National Council announced the January 31 date following a June 17 meeting, giving aspirants several months to campaign among delegates.
For Bawumia, the argument centers on stability after the party’s December 2024 loss to John Mahama and the National Democratic Congress (NDC). As the 2024 presidential candidate who led the party through that defeat, he’s positioning himself as someone who understands what went wrong and can chart a path back to government.
Awuku, who won his Akuapim North seat in December 2024 despite the party’s broader losses, has been a vocal advocate for Bawumia since June. In an earlier interview, he cited integrity and proven leadership as reasons for backing the former vice president’s potential 2028 bid.
The consistency message appears designed to counter questions about whether the NPP should break with recent leadership after its electoral defeat. Supporters argue that Bawumia’s experience as vice president from 2017 to 2025 gives him institutional knowledge and relationships that would help the party rebuild effectively.
Critics might question whether continuity makes sense after losing the presidency, or whether fresh leadership could better signal a break from the immediate past. Those debates will likely intensify as the January primary approaches.
Bawumia has been traveling extensively since the December defeat, engaging Ghanaians and thanking party faithful for their support. In August, he urged NPP members to maintain civility during the flagbearer race, stressing that the contest should focus on ideas rather than personal attacks.
The Central Region tour represents part of that broader outreach strategy. Meeting with executives and former appointees allows Bawumia to shore up support among delegates who will ultimately decide the race. These intra-party stakeholders often value relationships built over years of service, which could favor someone with Bawumia’s extended role in party leadership.
Whether consistency proves persuasive depends on how delegates assess the party’s needs going forward. Some may see Bawumia’s continuity argument as compelling, viewing him as the steady hand needed after an electoral setback. Others may conclude that significant change requires new leadership untethered to recent defeats.
For Awuku and other supporters making the case in the Central Region and elsewhere, the bet is that delegates will value experience and institutional memory over a clean break. The January 31 vote will reveal whether that calculation was correct.
