Early NPP vice-presidential slot candidates leak
Even before the New Patriotic Party (NPP) heads to the polls on Saturday, January 31, 2026, to elect its presidential flagbearer, internal jockeying over the party’s future leadership is already gathering pace.
Frank Annoh-Dompreh, Member of Parliament for Nsawam/Adoagyiri and a key figure within Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia’s camp, is reportedly positioning himself for the vice-presidential slot ahead of the 2028 general election, should Dr Bawumia emerge as the party’s flagbearer.
Sources close to the Bawumia campaign say Annoh-Dompreh has been openly critical of Dr Bawumia’s 2024 running mate, former Energy Minister Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, popularly known as NAPO. According to the sources, Annoh-Dompreh believes NAPO added little electoral value to the ticket in the December 2024 elections and should not be retained if Dr Bawumia secures the nomination again.
The Nsawam/Adoagyiri MP is said to be promoting his own credentials, pointing to his status as a fourth-term Member of Parliament, his current role as Minority Chief Whip, and what he considers his broad national appeal.
He has also reportedly highlighted his maternal Ashanti roots, fluency in Ewe, marriage to a northern woman, Barbara, and representation of a constituency in the Eastern Region as factors that position him as a unifying figure within the party.
Party insiders say Annoh-Dompreh’s relationship with Opoku Prempeh has been strained for years, dating back to the period when NAPO served as Energy Minister. He is said to regard Dr Bawumia’s choice of NAPO in 2024 as a strategic mistake that should not be repeated.
Sources indicate that Annoh-Dompreh has expressed these views during several internal party engagements, with Opoku Prempeh fully aware of his stance.
The Minority Chief Whip is also said to be presenting himself as the most formidable NPP figure from the Eastern Region and has reportedly been encouraging party faithful in the region to rally behind him should Dr Bawumia win the flagbearer race.
He is said to believe the Eastern Region deserves serious consideration for the vice-presidential slot in 2028 and has cited his parliamentary experience and leadership role in the Minority as proof of his readiness for higher office.
However, Annoh-Dompreh’s reported ambitions are said to be causing discomfort among some Bawumia loyalists, who accuse him of undermining party unity at a sensitive time. Some insiders have raised concerns about what they describe as his lack of team spirit and increasingly open manoeuvring.
There are also quiet criticisms of his performance as Minority Chief Whip, with some party figures privately questioning his effectiveness in the role and suitability for national leadership. Others have described his political style as overly transactional, a label his supporters reject.
Beyond Annoh-Dompreh, the Eastern Region boasts several prominent NPP figures who could also be considered for national leadership roles, including Bryan Acheampong, Abena Osei-Asare, Sammy Awuku, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah and Korkor Asante.
As the NPP prepares to choose its flagbearer, the early jostling for the vice-presidential slot highlights the intense internal calculations already shaping the party’s post-2026 strategy as it seeks to reorganise and position itself for the 2028 general election…CONTINUE MORE READING>>>