Weekly fasting program begins Thursday as NPP presidential primaries approach in January
The Diaspora and Religious Affairs Directorate (DRAD) has launched a global weekly fasting and prayer initiative for Kennedy Agyapong, coinciding with preparations for the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) presidential primaries scheduled for January 31, 2026.
The program, titled Fasting and Prayer: One voice, One faith, One victory, will take place every Thursday starting November 21, 2025. Supporters worldwide have been encouraged to participate from their respective locations under the theme Pray for Ken.
This spiritual campaign reflects the intensifying competition among five aspirants vying to lead the NPP into Ghana’s 2028 general elections. Kennedy Agyapong, former Member of Parliament for Assin Central, faces former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, former Minister for Education Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, former Minister for Food and Agriculture Dr. Bryan Acheampong, and former NPP General Secretary Kwabena Agyei Agyepong.
The NPP is seeking to rebuild and reorganize following its defeat in the December 2024 general elections, where the party lost both the presidency and parliamentary majority to the National Democratic Congress (NDC). Former President John Dramani Mahama won the presidential race with 57 percent of the vote, while the NDC secured 185 out of 276 parliamentary seats.
Kennedy Agyapong’s campaign has gained attention for its critical stance toward aspects of the previous NPP administration and its focus on job creation and industrial development. The businessman and politician has positioned himself as an outsider candidate willing to challenge party establishment positions.
In recent campaign statements, Agyapong has emphasized that leadership should focus on creating sustainable employment opportunities rather than short term electoral incentives. He argues that meaningful economic transformation requires building industries that provide long term jobs and dignity for Ghanaian youth.
The DRAD initiative represents an organized effort to mobilize spiritual support for Agyapong’s candidacy across Ghana’s substantial diaspora community. Prayer and fasting campaigns have become increasingly common features of Ghanaian political contests, reflecting the country’s deeply religious culture where approximately 71 percent of the population identifies as Christian.
Religious mobilization has played significant roles in previous NPP internal contests. The party held its last presidential primaries in November 2023, where Dr. Bawumia defeated Kennedy Agyapong and other aspirants to become the party’s 2024 flagbearer. Agyapong secured second place in that contest, demonstrating substantial support within party ranks despite running a campaign critical of certain government policies.
The upcoming January 2026 primaries will be conducted under the supervision of the NPP Presidential Elections Committee and monitored by Ghana’s Electoral Commission (EC). The committee has completed nationwide voter album verification and validation exercises covering all constituencies and external branches.
According to the committee’s timeline, all presidential aspirants received the provisional voter register on November 13, 2025, for a two week verification period. The final confirmed voter list will determine which party delegates can participate in selecting the next NPP flagbearer.
The NPP Presidential Elections Committee has emphasized its commitment to conducting free, fair, and transparent elections without fear, favor, or bias. Security arrangements for the primaries will be managed exclusively by the Ghana Police Service to ensure peaceful voting across all designated centers.
Balloting for candidate positions on the primary ballot was completed in October 2025. Kennedy Agyapong drew position number one, followed by Dr. Bryan Acheampong in second, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia in third, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum in fourth, and Kwabena Agyei Agyepong in fifth position.
The winner of the January primaries will lead the NPP’s efforts to recapture power in the 2028 general elections. This represents a crucial moment for Ghana’s main opposition party as it seeks to rebuild its political fortunes and present voters with an alternative vision for the country’s future.
Ghana has maintained a strong democratic tradition with peaceful transfers of power between the NPP and NDC since 1993. The country’s two major parties have alternated control of government regularly, making internal party primaries significant events that help shape national political discourse.
The DRAD prayer initiative adds a spiritual dimension to what promises to be a competitive race among candidates with distinct political profiles and support bases within the party. Whether such campaigns influence delegate voting decisions remains a subject of ongoing debate within Ghana’s political circles.
