Ebenezer Nyamekye (middle) addressing the media
With just days to the New Patriotic Party’s crucial presidential primaries, the Asante Concerned Youth (ACY) has thrown its weight behind two Ashanti-born aspirants, urging delegates in the region to reclaim the party’s leadership by voting for one of their own.
Speaking at a press conference at Noks Hotel in Asokwa, Ashanti Region, on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, the President of ACY, Ebenezer Nyamekye, said the January 31 NPP flagbearer election presents a golden opportunity for the region to once again produce a leader capable of delivering development and electoral strength for the party.
He reminded delegates of the transformative legacy of former President John Agyekum Kufuor, describing his tenure as unmatched in the Ashanti Region.
“From the Asokwa and Sofoline interchanges to the Emergency Centre at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, widely known as the Kufuor Emergency, the Ashanti Region benefited immensely under President Kufuor,” Mr. Nyamekye said.
According to him, among the five contenders in the race, Engineer Kwabena Agyei Agyepong and Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum stand out as the two natives of Ashanti, and delegates must critically assess their records, select the one who truly served the Ashanti people well, and vote for him.
He explained that both aspirants have held key government positions and demonstrated commitment to national service. Engineer Agyepong served as a Press Secretary during the Kufuor administration, while Dr. Adutwum was Minister for Education under President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
“We are not imposing a candidate,” he stressed. “We are asking delegates to examine who delivered real results for Ashanti and Ghana and rally behind that person.”
Mr. Nyamekye was emphatic that the group’s position should not be misconstrued as tribalism, insisting that ACY remains non-partisan and issue-driven.
“We support competence and loyalty to the people. That is why we back Ashantis wherever they are. If the National Democratic Congress (NDC) presents an Ashanti candidate, we will equally support that person,” he stated.
He further argued that electoral history favours an Ashanti-led ticket, noting that the region voted more massively for President Kufuor than for President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
“The facts are there for all to see. President Kufuor performed better and received overwhelming support from Ashanti. Delegates should take that lesson seriously,” he added.
The Asante Concerned Youth concluded by appealing to NPP delegates to heed their call, saying the future of the party and the fortunes of the Ashanti Region depend on a bold and strategic choice in the upcoming primaries.
FROM David Afum, Kumasi