The writer
To me, the enduring image of Dr. Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumia’s stupendous Presidential Primary victory, is not of him waving the coveted NPP flag on the dais, symbolising his ‘possibility slogan’ victory. Rather, it is that of former President Nana Akufo-Addo slowly dancing his way up, as he sang along to his favourite gospel song, Oye.
To the uninformed, obligingly played to usher him onto the platform at the party headquarters, President Akufo-Addo’s favorite song is widely reported to be Oye, an Akan choral piece by the Harmonious Chorale, whose refrain can be translated as “Oye, God is good … some good news I have heard …”
(A source adds: “OYE was composed by James Varrick Armaah, Founder and Executive Director of Harmonious Chorale, and first performed by them.”)
Certainly, the former President had heard uplifting news and had cause to sing along and dance. He must have been a relieved, elated man, celebrating Bawumia’s triumph. It was a remarkable landslide, achieved despite all the negativity against his Vice President, Dr. Bawumia.
During the campaign ahead of the January 31, 2026 Primary of the New Patriotic Party, the sometimes vicious attacks had especially focused on the economic downturn the country experienced during the second Akufo-Addo – Bawumia term. In some quarters, there had been authoritative conviction that, with that baggage, Bawumia could not win.
Yet, movingly, the delegates had overwhelmingly expressed their confidence in him. Decisively so!
For the record, the five NPP flagbearer aspirants, who contested in the Primary were, in order of appearance on the ballot paper, and how they fared:
- Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, a former Member of Parliament for Assin Central – 46,554 votes (23.76 %);
- Dr. Bryan Acheampong, a former Minister of Food and Agriculture – 36,303 (18.53 %);
- Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, a former Vice-President – 110,643 (56.48, % ELECTED);
- Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, a former Minister of Education –1,999 (1.02 %);
- Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, a former General Secretary of the NPP – 402 (0.21 %).
The attacks had included propaganda that Ghanaians now see the former President in a negative light, therefore given Dr. Bawumia’s close association with him and his actions and inactions, he could not win. Countless predictions had Dr. Bawumia losing to Kennedy Agyapong; the more charitable ones confident that there would be no outright winner, that there would definitely be a run-off election.
It appears that only Prophet Eric Boahen Uche of Founder of the Reign House Chapel got it right, reportedly predicting uncannily that Bawumia would win with 56 -57 per cent.
Again, the ‘charges’ against Bawumia were myriad. The NPP’s historic Election 2024 loss to the National Democratic Party, was cited by many ‘experts’ as one more that the delegates would punish Dr. Bawumia for. Shockingly, some of the mudslinging had even targeted his wife, Samira.
Doubtless the delegates also remembered how he had also demonstrated impressive loyalty, not only to his boss, but also to the party.
Regrettably, despite the fact that it was an internal party election and not a contest with an opposition party, there were times when the acrimony was so pronounced that in some quarters fears about bloodshed were even being expressed. Thankfully, cooler heads prevailed.
It appears that the delegates remembered, too, that in 2012, when the party went to court to challenge the electoral victory of the NDC, it was Dr. Bawumia who was the face of the party, appearing in the dock for some eight months, presenting the comprehensive evidence he had helped to assemble, defending the NPP.
Seemingly, the sometimes-vicious campaign, notably from the Kennedy Agyapong camp, backfired. Indeed, it probably earned Bawumia some sympathy votes because during his tenure as Vice President, he showed abundant evidence of competence; innovativeness; pragmatism; affability and integrity; also seen as a unifier and a visionary.
Clearly, the awesome votes of confidence the 196, 462 who voted showered on Dr. Bawumia, enabling him win 14 of the 16 regions, dramatically demonstrated support for him.
Thus, it was that it wasn’t Dr. Bawumia who on January 31 had cause to remember the immortal words of the late NPP General Secretary, Lawyer Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, better known as ‘Sir John’: “Fear delegates, (not ghosts)!”
Sir John’s witty recasting of the popular saying, ‘fear people, not ghosts’, was related to the 2014 NPP Delegates Conference in Tamale, in which Sir John was a contestant, hoping to retain his position as General Secretary. Allegedly, in his engagements with the delegates, he had been led to believe that he would win, even by a landslide; but he suffered a crushing defeat to Kwabena Agyei Agyepong.
Interesting that some six years after his death in 2020, Sir John’s humorous, entertaining but deep caution continues to be an evergreen in the Ghanaian political arena.
For the other four contestants, despite what must have been a shattering, devastating loss, it is to their credit that they all mounted the platform on January 31 to congratulate the winner and pledge their support and determination to join the Election 2028 offensive.
In 2023, when the then Vice President Dr. Bawumia started his campaign to become the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party for Election 2024, the intriguing slogan he chose was ‘It is possible’ (IIP).
As I wrote in 2023, to me IIP was, and is, a recognition that where there is a will, it can be done. People should cultivate a positive mindset because an ‘impossibility’ attitude, the ‘it can’t be done’ outlook, retards progress.
Evidently, improving the economy is top of the agenda, and Bawumia will have to demonstrate convincingly to the country how he proposes to do that. Nevertheless, I believe the IIP is a pointer that it’s very possible for Ghana’s economy to regain the strength of the pre-Covid and pre-Russia-Ukraine war era, when the NPP’s handling of the economy was being applauded by the international financial institutions.
On the contentious issue of whether Ghanaians should vote a Muslim to become President, I repeat what I have posed before:
Has the religion of any Ghanaian President been an issue before? Has any Ghanaian President attempted to convert the populace to his religion? Does the country’s Constitution give a President that power?
Did Dr. Bawumia’s religion stop him from initiating and implementing his many innovations, when he was Vice President?
And surely, the delegates who voted for him have Ghana’s interest at heart. They voted for demonstrated ability to move the country forward.
Now the first item on the agenda has to be party unity as has been expressed by Dr. Bawumia, the other four contestants and the party generally. That has also been emphasised by former President Kufuor and former President Akufo-Addo.
And thanks to the pragmatic decision by the party leadership to have an unprecedented early Primary, Dr. Bawumia and the party have three years to organise structures effectively to help ensure the critical unity needed towards winning in 2028.
Hopefully, the firming up of loose ends by the new leader will include making it mandatory for every such critical party election to allow proxy voting.
Otherwise, measures should be put in place for eligible members overseas to have the opportunity to vote there, without having to afford air fares to Ghana, and other expenses – some of the money, some which could even have gone into NPP coffers, because, reportedly, overseas branches contribute substantially to party funding.
Delegates who managed to travel home just to vote, despite the huge expense, and inconvenience, deserve the highest commendation.
I imagine that the IIP slogan will be used in the Election 2028 campaign when the train takes off. Indeed, it should feature even if it’s broadened to include other aspirations.
Congratulations to the NPP, well done delegates; and congratulations to Dr. Bawumia.
Given the challenges he had to overcome in order to win the Primary, it makes sense for the original slogan to have centre stage because, obviously, the NPP’s aim is to make victory 2028 possible.
Dr. Bawumia’s ‘possibility train’ is certainly ready to take off and, conceivably, with a simple slogan that should resonate with all, in any challenging situation to be overcome: It Is Possible.
By Ajoa Yeboah-Afari