• NDC Admits Strategic Move to Push Kennedy Agyapong So NPP Delegates Would Choose Bawumia
• We Backed Kennedy to Make NPP Reject Him and Pick Bawumia for 2028, Akrofuom MP Reveals
• Kennedy Too Popular to Defeat Nationally So We Engineered Bawumia’s Victory, NDC MP Claims
A bold and controversial political claim has emerged from the Ashanti Region, as Hon. Joseph Azumah, Member of Parliament for Akrofuom, has disclosed what he describes as a deliberate and strategic maneuver by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) during the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) presidential primaries.
According to the MP, the NDC intentionally projected support for Kennedy Ohene Agyapong—not to help him win—but to indirectly influence NPP delegates to choose Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia instead. The ultimate objective, he claims, was to position the NDC more favorably ahead of the 2028 general elections.
Hon. Azumah explained that the move was rooted in political psychology. By publicly aligning with Kennedy Agyapong’s candidacy, the NDC aimed to create suspicion among NPP delegates that the opposition was attempting to influence their internal process.
The expectation, he suggested, was that NPP delegates would resist any candidate perceived to be subtly endorsed by their main political rival. In effect, the strategy relied on reverse psychology: if the NDC appeared comfortable with Kennedy, NPP delegates would instinctively shift toward Bawumia.
According to the MP, the plan worked.
Hon. Azumah did not mince words when assessing Kennedy Agyapong’s political strength. He argued that Kennedy possesses a rare populist appeal that cuts across multiple voter blocs.
He claimed Kennedy resonates strongly with:
- Ordinary Ghanaians
- The average working-class voter
- The business community
- Young unemployed men seeking economic opportunity
From the NDC’s strategic standpoint, Kennedy’s broad appeal among grassroots voters would have made him a formidable opponent in a general election. Unlike traditional elite-centered campaigns, Kennedy’s political brand often centers on blunt rhetoric, anti-establishment messaging, and promises of job creation—issues that resonate deeply in times of economic hardship.
According to Azumah, contesting such a candidate nationwide would have presented greater difficulty for the NDC than facing Dr. Bawumia.
The Akrofuom MP further argued that Kennedy Agyapong made a tactical mistake during the primaries. In his assessment, Kennedy’s messaging was tailored more toward a national electorate than toward NPP delegates—the actual voting body in a primary contest.
“The ‘I will create jobs’ message is appropriate for a general election campaign,” he reportedly stated. “Primaries require targeted messaging to party delegates, not broad national promises.”
In party primaries, delegates often prioritize internal loyalty, party structures, ideological alignment, and strategic calculations about electability. Azumah suggests Kennedy’s focus on national job creation narratives may have failed to sufficiently address the internal political calculus of delegates.
With the NPP now in opposition, internal reorganization and leadership restructuring are central to its strategy for political comeback in 2028. Leadership selection in opposition often becomes even more consequential, as the party seeks to rebuild public trust and regain electoral momentum.
Azumah’s remarks introduce an additional layer to this dynamic: the idea that opposition parties are not merely observers of each other’s internal contests but may actively attempt to shape them indirectly.
While cross-party strategic positioning is not new in Ghanaian politics—or globally—the open acknowledgment of such a tactic is unusual. Political analysts may view the claim as either a genuine disclosure of strategic maneuvering or as post-primary political rhetoric aimed at framing future electoral narratives.
If Azumah’s account reflects actual strategic thinking within the NDC, it signals a long-term electoral chess game already in motion. It suggests that the NDC leadership may have conducted internal assessments comparing the electoral strengths and vulnerabilities of potential NPP candidates before the primaries concluded.
Kennedy Agyapong = Strong grassroots populist appeal, harder to defeat nationally.
Dr. Bawumia = Viewed as more technically oriented, possibly more vulnerable in broader voter mobilization dynamics.
However, political forecasting four years ahead remains speculative. Electoral landscapes shift due to economic performance, governance outcomes, internal party cohesion, candidate reinvention, and national mood.
Azumah’s statements could have multiple consequences:
1. Within the NPP: It may reinforce internal debates about strategic missteps and campaign targeting.
2. Within the NDC: It could energize supporters who see long-term strategic thinking at play.
3. Among the electorate: It may fuel broader conversations about political manipulation, strategic psychology, and party tactics.
Whether the comments were intended as political analysis, internal celebration, or strategic messaging, they have already injected new intensity into the 2028 electoral conversation.
Hon. Joseph Azumah’s claims present a striking narrative of calculated political maneuvering. If accurate, they reveal a sophisticated layer of competitive strategy operating beneath public campaign rhetoric. If exaggerated, they nonetheless highlight the intense strategic calculations shaping Ghana’s evolving political landscape.
As both major parties reposition themselves ahead of 2028, one thing is clear: the contest has already begun—not just in public rallies, but in strategic boardrooms where political futures are quietly shaped.
0 Comments