Former Energy Minister Boakye Kyeremateng Agyarko’s campaign has rejected claims that he is at odds with the New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, as the party prepares to elect its national chairman on October 3, 2026.
The campaign of former Energy Minister Boakye Kyeremateng Agyarko has rejected claims of a rift between him and New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer Dr Mahamudu Bawumia ahead of the party’s national chairmanship election.
The campaign said Mr Agyarko, who is contesting the chairmanship on October 3, 2026, has no intention of interfering with Dr Bawumia’s role as flagbearer and would instead focus on strengthening the party’s organisational structures and uniting its various factions.
In a statement issued on Sunday, August 30, the campaign identified what it described as two misleading narratives surrounding the contest.
These are attempts to portray collective NPP achievements as the personal accomplishments of individual candidates and suggestions that Mr Agyarko is at odds with Dr Bawumia.
The campaign said Mr Agyarko had instructed his team not to attack any of the other contenders, stressing that all the candidates had contributed to the development of the party and would be needed after the October 3 election.
“We will not respond with attacks on any fellow party member,” the campaign said, explaining that its objective was to correct what it considered inaccurate claims and allow delegates to make their own decision.
The campaign highlighted Mr Agyarko’s long-standing association with the NPP, dating back to 1992 when he became a founding member of the party.
It said he subsequently chaired the Danquah-Busia Club of North America and served as the NPP’s North America Coordinator, helping to establish and strengthen the party’s structures among Ghanaians in the diaspora during its years in opposition.
Between 1993 and 1998, Mr Agyarko also wrote the Letter from America column for The Statesman newspaper, a role the campaign said he performed at a time when there was little or no political reward for such involvement.
Ahead of the 2012 general election, he served as the NPP’s National Campaign Manager and, according to the campaign, played a key role in the party’s organisational and policy restructuring following its defeat in the 2008 election.
He later served as Policy Adviser to the party’s presidential candidate ahead of the 2016 election.
Beyond politics, Mr Agyarko worked for more than two decades at the Bank of New York, where he rose to become Vice President and Head of Global Investment Management, before returning to Ghana to serve as Energy Minister.
The campaign also cited his contribution to the development of the NPP’s diaspora structures, particularly the Constituency Adoption arrangement introduced during the 2012 campaign.
It said the initiative helped channel diaspora support into organised assistance for constituencies and continued beyond the campaign in which it was introduced.
The campaign, however, stressed that these contributions should not be interpreted as Mr Agyarko claiming personal ownership of the NPP’s achievements.
The campaign criticised what it described as “convenient revisionism” by some contestants who, it said, were attempting to portray collective party successes as individual accomplishments.
It maintained that the NPP’s electoral victories were the result of the collective efforts of the party’s grassroots, members and supporters.
“The NPP’s victories belong to the party, to its grassroots, and to the thousands who worked for them,” the campaign said.
It argued that Mr Agyarko’s record should therefore be viewed as one of service to the party rather than an attempt to claim credit for achievements that were collectively secured.
The campaign also sought to dispel suggestions that Mr Agyarko would seek to undermine or interfere with Dr Bawumia’s work as flagbearer if elected national chairman.
According to the statement, Mr Agyarko has consistently maintained that he would not interfere with the flagbearer’s responsibilities.
It said the respective roles of the two positions were clearly defined, with the flagbearer responsible for leading the party’s campaign and communicating its political message, while the national chairman would oversee the organisational structures needed to support the campaign.
The campaign further stated that Mr Agyarko had Dr Bawumia’s “full support”.
It argued that Mr Agyarko was not seeking the chairmanship as a stepping stone to another political position and was not positioning himself for any future election.
The campaign said this would allow him to operate independently and serve as a neutral figure capable of reconciling the different traditions and interests within the NPP.
The campaign also placed party unity at the centre of Mr Agyarko’s bid, particularly following the NPP’s presidential primary in January.
It noted that a significant number of delegates had supported candidates other than Dr Bawumia during the primary and argued that these members needed to be fully brought behind the flagbearer ahead of the 2028 general election.
“Reconciliation here is arithmetic, not sentiment,” the campaign said.
It argued that the process required a chairman capable of bringing together competing factions and working with all sections of the party rather than one who might approach the task with unresolved grievances.
The campaign further contended that a chairman with “scores to settle” would be unable to effectively reunite the party and mobilise its entire support base behind Dr Bawumia.
It said Mr Agyarko’s experience, independence and longstanding service to the NPP positioned him to help rebuild trust, strengthen the party’s structures and unite its members ahead of the 2028 election.
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