Former Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia remains a strong contender in the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) presidential primary and could still emerge as the winner on January 31, 2026, but his margin of victory may be significantly slimmer than in the previous contest, where he secured over 60 per cent of the vote.
This assessment was made by broadcaster Paul Adom-Otchere, who says feedback from party delegates suggests shifting support patterns within key NPP strongholds, particularly the Ashanti Region.
Speaking on JoyNews’ NewsFile, Mr Adom-Otchere said Dr Bawumia may struggle to replicate his earlier dominance in Ashanti, where he previously polled about 66 per cent.
“Well, from what we had been gathering from delegates yesterday, I spoke to people in my constituency in Ejisu, and Bawumia had done 66% in Ashanti the last time. They don’t think he may get 66%,” he said.
He noted that rival contender Kennedy Agyapong appears to be consolidating support in regions such as the Central, Greater Accra and Volta regions, raising concerns within sections of Dr Bawumia’s camp.
“Even for my friends who are Bawumia people like Hassan Tampuli and others, they even think that Ken still has Greater Accra and Volta. That’s a concern,” Mr Adom-Otchere added.
According to him, for Dr Bawumia to secure a comfortable victory, he would need to post strong numbers in both the Ashanti and Eastern regions, which are expected to be decisive in the delegate-based election.
“Bawumia will need to pick up Ashanti heavy and pick up Eastern as well. So it is looking like if Bawumia wins — and he may win — he’s not going to achieve the 60% that he got the last time,” he said.
The NPP presidential primary is scheduled for January 31, 2026, as the party prepares to select a flagbearer ahead of the 2028 general elections, with internal regional dynamics increasingly shaping the outcome of the contest.
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