Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and Kennedy Ohene Agyapong
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer hopeful, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, has issued an unreserved apology to former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, after admitting that comments he made over claims about Prof. Albert Adu Boahen and attributing it to Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia were inaccurate and unverified information.
In a statement dated Tuesday, January 20, 2026, Mr. Agyapong said his earlier remarks linking Dr. Bawumia to comments about the late Prof. Albert Adu Boahen and the 1996 NPP presidential primaries were regrettable and wrongly attributed to Dr. Bawumia.
He acknowledged that further verification had shown Dr. Bawumia never made such claims.
“I write in good faith and with a deep sense of regret over my recent comments concerning the person and integrity of Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia in relation to remarks attributed to him about Prof. Albert Adu Boahen.
“Upon further reflection and verification of the facts, it has become clear that my reaction was based on statements wrongfully attributed to him. Available evidence indicates that he never made such claims that Prof. Adu Boahen did not contest the 1996 NPP primaries due to ill health.
“Regrettably, the comments were therefore based on inaccurate information and insufficient cross-checking. For this lapse in judgement, I take full responsibility. It was never my intention to unfairly question his honesty, character, or respect for the legacy of Prof. Adu Boahen, a man we all revere for his immense contribution to the New Patriotic Party and Ghana’s democratic struggle,” he pointed out.
“It is therefore important to offer an unreserved apology to Dr. Bawumia and the party in general for the unwarranted attack and any harm it may have caused to his reputation or our collective party cohesion. We must all remain committed to engaging in constructive dialogue founded on truth, respect, and shared purpose,” he added.
The apology follows a statement from the Bawumia Campaign Team, which earlier described Mr. Agyapong’s comments as “baseless, uninformed, and unwarranted.”
In a statement signed by Chairman of the Communications Directorate, Bawumia Campaign, Nana Akomea, the team challenged Mr. Agyapong to provide evidence for his claims and cautioned that such personal attacks were damaging to party unity.
“For absolute clarity, Dr. Bawumia has never made the statements that have been attributed to him,” the campaign had stressed, calling for an immediate apology.
Background
The controversy began after Mr. Agyapong, during a virtual engagement with delegates in the Upper East Region, accused Dr. Bawumia of lying over comments relating to Prof. Adu Boahen’s health and his participation in the 1996 primaries. He also questioned Dr. Bawumia’s suitability for leadership, remarks that drew widespread criticism within the party.
However, Ashanti Regional NPP Chairman, Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, later intervened, stating that he, not Dr. Bawumia, was the source of the remarks in question.
Chairman Wontumi publicly clarified the issue and called on Mr. Agyapong to apologise to the former Vice President, a call that has now been heeded with Mr. Agyapong’s formal apology to Dr. Bawumia and the party.
By Ebenezer K. Amponsah