Former Vice President and NPP flagbearer, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia
Former Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has secured the ticket to lead the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the 2028 general election, following a decisive victory in the just-ended presidential primaries.
Dr Bawumia polled 110,643 votes, representing 56.48 percent of the total valid votes cast, beating key contenders Kennedy Agyapong, who garnered 46,554 votes (23.8%), and Dr Bryan Acheampong, who secured 36,303 votes (18.3%).
Beyond the numbers, his performance tells a deeper story of a candidate whose appeal has widened significantly across the country.
Despite recording 56.48 percent in 2026, which is lower than the 61.7 percent he recorded in the 2023 primaries, a closer examination of the dynamics reveals that his latest victory was, in many respects, more emphatic and more nationally grounded.
One of the clearest indicators is the margin of victory.
In 2023, Dr Bawumia defeated his closest contender by 46,214 votes.
This year, that gap widened to 64,089 votes, underscoring a stronger endorsement from party delegates.
Geographically, the former vice president demonstrated overwhelming dominance.
He swept 14 out of the 16 regions, with Kennedy Agyapong winning only the Central Region, while Dr Bryan Acheampong claimed Volta Region.
Dr Bawumia recorded near-total constituency sweeps in 11 regions, including Western, Bono, Ahafo, Bono East, Western North, Savannah, North East, Upper West, Northern and Oti Regions; a level of dominance he did not achieve in 2023.
Even in the Upper East Region, where some analysts predicted a tougher contest, Dr Bawumia exceeded expectations by winning 14 out of 15 constituencies in the northern belt.
In the two regions with the highest delegate strength, Ashanti and Greater Accra Regions; his performance marked a clear improvement over the previous primaries.
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In Ashanti Region, Dr Bawumia won 45 out of 47 constituencies, losing only Bosomtwe, the constituency of former education minister Dr Osei Yaw Adutwum.
In Greater Accra, he secured 32 out of 34 constituencies, a significant jump from the 19 constituencies he won in 2023 and the vote margins also widened.
While Dr Bawumia beat Kennedy Agyapong by about 2,000 votes in Greater Accra in 2023, he expanded that lead to approximately 7,000 votes in 2026.
Even in the Central Region, the home turf of Kennedy Agyapong and the only region he won overall, Dr Bawumia improved his showing, winning seven constituencies, up from four in the previous contest.
In the Eastern Region, where Dr Bryan Acheampong was expected to pose a strong challenge, Dr Bawumia still dominated, winning the region by a margin of nearly 5,000 votes.
In total, Dr Bawumia won 232 out of 276 constituencies nationwide, reflecting a level of nationwide acceptance that goes beyond the figures in percentage.
While the raw percentage may suggest a stronger showing in 2023, the 2026 primaries paint a clearer picture of a candidate with broader appeal, deeper regional penetration, and stronger delegate confidence, positioning Dr Bawumia as a more united and nationally endorsed choice for the NPP ahead of the 2028 elections.
NA/VPO
