NPP presidential primary 2026: Who Leads The Way January 31

NPP presidential primary 2026 comes off January 31, with five aspirants, new polls and big stakes for Ghana’s 2028 elections.

Question:
What is happening in the NPP presidential primary on January 31, 2026, who are the five aspirants, what do the latest polls show, and why does it matter for Ghana ahead of the 2028 elections?

Answer:
The New Patriotic Party will hold its presidential primary on Saturday, 31 January 2026, to elect a flagbearer for Ghana’s 2028 general elections. Five aspirants have successfully filed to contest: Ken Ohene Agyapong, Bryan Acheampong, Mahamudu Bawumia, Yaw Osei Adutwum and Kwabena Agyei Agyepong. Balloting has given them numbers one to five respectively on the ballot paper. Recent Global InfoAnalytics polling shows former Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia with a strong lead among NPP supporters, with Kennedy Agyapong emerging as his closest challenger and gaining momentum into January. The party has released operational guidelines promising a transparent, credible process overseen with the Electoral Commission, including campaign rules and voting arrangements across all constituencies. This primary is a critical moment for the NPP as it tries to reorganise after defeat in 2024 and position a unifying candidate to battle the NDC in 2028.

The NPP is entering a defining internal contest as delegates prepare to choose a new presidential candidate for 2028. With five familiar names on the ballot and fresh polling shifts, January 31 is set to reshape the party’s future direction.

NPP presidential primary 2026: What is happening on January 31?

The NPP’s National Council has officially fixed 31 January 2026 as the date for its presidential primary, following recommendations from a constitution review process. The move brings the flagbearer election earlier in the electoral cycle than previous years, as part of wider reforms after the party’s 2024 defeat.

Voting will take place in all constituencies nationwide, with the Electoral Commission supporting the process alongside the party’s Presidential Elections Committee. Delegates drawn from constituency, regional and national structures will cast their ballots in a single day exercise to choose one flagbearer.

Who are the five aspirants?

The Presidential Elections Committee has confirmed that five aspirants met all requirements and successfully filed their nomination forms ahead of the deadline. After balloting, their positions and brief profiles are:

1. Ken Ohene Agyapong Businessman and former MP for Assin Central, known for his blunt style and strong grassroots following from the previous flagbearer contest.
2. Bryan Acheampong MP for Abetifi and former Minister for Food and Agriculture, seen as an organiser with networks in party structures and security circles.
3. Mahamudu Bawumia Former Vice President and the NPP’s 2024 presidential candidate, entering the race with wide national name recognition and institutional backing.
4. Yaw Osei Adutwum Former Minister of Education, positioned as a technocratic candidate focused on reforms in education and broader public sector management.
5. Kwabena Agyei Agyepong Former NPP General Secretary and ex presidential aspirant, running on a message of party renewal, loyalty and internal unity.

The party and the Electoral Commission have completed balloting for the January 2026 primary, confirming these positions on the official sheet.

What are the latest polls saying?

Polling by Global InfoAnalytics late in 2025 suggests that Dr Mahamudu Bawumia currently leads the race among NPP supporters. One nationwide survey conducted in December 2025 reported Bawumia with about 56 percent support among all voters, and an even stronger 72 percent among committed NPP voters, with Kennedy Agyapong trailing at 28 percent overall and 19 percent among party supporters.

A separate delegates focused poll by the same firm in December indicated Bawumia’s support among delegates had edged up from roughly the low forties to the mid forties, while Kennedy Agyapong’s backing jumped from about 18 percent to just over 30 percent, pointing to a tightening two horse race. Bryan Acheampong, Yaw Osei Adutwum and Kwabena Agyepong registered in single digits, suggesting their immediate leverage may lie in kingmaker roles if the race becomes close or heads toward a run off scenario.

Why it matters in Ghana

This primary will determine who leads one of Ghana’s two dominant parties into the 2028 elections, shaping the policy alternatives voters will weigh on the economy, jobs and governance. At a time of public frustration over living costs and trust in political elites, the NPP’s choice of flagbearer will signal whether it leans toward continuity, populist messaging, or a technocratic reset.

Internal contests in Ghana’s major parties have also become important tests of party democracy and peace, influencing how supporters accept national poll outcomes. The tone of the campaign whether issues based or personality driven and how losers handle defeat will feed into Ghana’s wider democratic culture and the NPP’s ability to unite against the NDC.

How is the NPP running the process?

The NPP has released operational guidelines for the January 31 primary, including vetted voter registers, nomination timelines, and a code of conduct for aspirants and their supporters. The rules emphasise decorum, ban certain forms of open campaigning at voting centres, and empower the party and police to curb intimidation and vote buying where possible.

A nine member planning and elections committee has been set up to work with the Electoral Commission and supervise arrangements before, during and after voting, including collation and declaration of results. Party officials repeatedly stress their commitment to a transparent, credible and peaceful process, mindful of scrutiny from civil society, media and their own grassroots.

Key Takeaways

1. The NPP will elect its 2028 flagbearer on 31 January 2026 through a nationwide presidential primary.
2. Five aspirants are on the ballot Ken Agyapong, Bryan Acheampong, Mahamudu Bawumia, Yaw Osei Adutwum and Kwabena Agyepong.
3. Recent polls show Mahamudu Bawumia leading, with Kennedy Agyapong gaining ground and other contenders polling in single digits.
4. The primary is a major test of the NPP’s internal democracy and its ability to regroup for the 2028 general elections.
5. The party’s guidelines and committees aim to deliver a transparent and orderly process under Electoral Commission supervision.

For more information about the NPP primary process and official updates, visit the official NPP website.