Bawumia Launches Ashanti Campaign Tour for NPP Primary

Former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia launched a comprehensive three-day campaign tour of the Ashanti Region on Wednesday, seeking delegate support ahead of the New Patriotic Party’s presidential primary scheduled for January 31, 2026.

The former 2024 NPP flagbearer arrived in Kumasi on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, to begin his intensive outreach in Ghana’s political heartland. The strategic tour underscores the critical importance of the Ashanti Region, traditionally considered the NPP’s stronghold, in determining the party’s next presidential candidate.

The three-day engagement aims to rally party delegates, strengthen the NPP base, and outline Bawumia’s vision ahead of the party’s crucial presidential primary. Campaign officials indicate the tour will cover seven operational zones within the region, allowing for comprehensive reach across key constituencies.

The tour commenced Wednesday with visits to the Adansi, Amansie, and Asante Akim zones, followed by engagements in the Sekyere Effiduase-Kumawu zone, Nsuta-Mampong, and Afigya Kwabre zones on Thursday. The final phase will encompass the Ahafo Atwima and two Kumasi operational zones.

Bawumia faces a competitive field in the upcoming primary, with former NPP General Secretary Kwabena Agyei Agyepong becoming the first candidate to officially file nomination papers for the January 31 contest. Other candidates in the race include Dr. Bryan Acheampong and Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum.

The Ashanti tour represents Bawumia’s first major regional campaign swing since the NPP’s December 2024 electoral defeat, when he conceded defeat to John Dramani Mahama the morning after the election. The party now finds itself in opposition, necessitating a fresh leadership approach for the 2028 presidential race.

Campaign handlers emphasize that Bawumia will focus on party unity and re-energizing the NPP base during his regional engagements. The tour’s structure reflects a methodical approach to delegate courting, with plans for subsequent visits to electoral areas and polling station executives following the initial zone-based outreach.

The NPP has announced new delegate categories for the January primary, with party officials starting registration of additional delegates beyond traditional voting members. This expanded electoral college could influence campaign strategies as candidates seek to build broader coalitions.

The Ashanti Region’s significance in NPP politics cannot be overstated. As the party’s traditional stronghold, delegate support from the region often proves decisive in internal contests. Bawumia’s early focus on the area signals his understanding of its electoral mathematics.

Following the preliminary tour, Bawumia plans to transition into full-scale campaigning with more targeted constituency-level engagements. The systematic approach reflects lessons learned from his successful 2024 primary campaign, when he secured the NPP flagbearership before the party’s general election loss.

The January 2026 primary date has drawn some criticism within party circles, with former NPP National Chairman Paul Afoko describing the early timing as “a big mistake” that disrupts the party’s traditional renewal cycle.

As Ghana’s main opposition party prepares to select its 2028 standard-bearer, Bawumia’s Ashanti tour marks the beginning of what promises to be an intensive period of internal campaigning. The region’s delegates will play a crucial role in determining whether the former vice president can secure another opportunity to lead the NPP into a presidential election.