NPP Leader Urges Early Running Mate Selection to Avoid Distractions

A leading member of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Musah Superior, has called on the party’s flagbearer, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, to name his running mate before the end of 2026, arguing that delays could trigger internal distractions ahead of the 2028 general elections. Superior, a former mayor of Tamale, made the appeal in a Facebook post on Wednesday, February 11, 2026.

The former mayor argued that the rationale behind the party’s early selection of its presidential candidate should also apply to the choice of a running mate. He warned that prolonged lobbying and competition for the position could divert attention from the party’s broader electoral strategy. Superior personally supports retaining Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, popularly known as Napo, as running mate, citing consistency as a key factor in the party’s earlier decision making.

Dr Bawumia won the NPP presidential primaries on January 31, 2026, securing 110,645 votes representing 56.48 percent of the total valid votes cast. The former Vice President defeated four other aspirants including Kennedy Agyapong who placed second with 46,554 votes, Dr Bryan Acheampong who secured 36,303 votes, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum with 1,999 votes, and Kwabena Agyei Agyepong who obtained 402 votes.

The NPP flagbearer has not yet announced his choice of running mate for the 2028 election. Dr Bawumia partnered Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh in the 2024 general elections but lost to President John Dramani Mahama and his running mate, Professor Naana Jane Opoku Agyemang. The National Democratic Congress (NDC) secured 57 percent of the vote while the NPP obtained 41 percent.

Superior emphasized that consistency was one of the major reasons delegates gave Dr Bawumia a strong mandate in the primaries. He stressed that the party must not depart from that principle. Internal discussions over the composition of the NPP presidential ticket are expected to intensify in the coming months as the party prepares for the 2028 general election.

Former Fomena Constituency Chairman Akwasi Anti Asamoah also declared support for Dr Opoku Prempeh as the ideal running mate on Wednesday. Speaking in an interview on Angel TV, Anti Asamoah stated that the running mate is likely to come from the Ashanti Region and expressed opposition to changing Dr Opoku Prempeh. He argued that the NPP’s defeat in the 2024 general elections was due to voter anger and not the fault of Dr Opoku Prempeh.

Dennis Miracles Aboagye, an aide to Dr Bawumia, clarified on February 1, 2026, that placing second in the flagbearer contest does not automatically qualify someone for the running mate position. He explained that the selection of the running mate is purely the prerogative of the candidate in consultation with the National Council. Aboagye stated that several criteria come into play, and rankings in the internal contest are not necessarily the measure.

Former Majority Leader of Parliament, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu, disclosed in 2025 that he advised Dr Bawumia to choose Dr Opoku Prempeh for the 2024 election due to his versatility in addressing various issues within the political space. He cited Dr Opoku Prempeh’s ability to make meaningful contributions in Parliament, his Asante heritage, and his family ties to former President John Agyekum Kufuor as key factors in his recommendation.