Accra: The former Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong, lost his bid in the highly anticipated New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential primaries held on January 31, 2026. The election saw former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia securing victory, thus becoming the party's flagbearer for the 2028 general elections.
According to Ghana Web, Agyapong has gracefully accepted his defeat and extended his congratulations to Dr. Bawumia, pledging his support ahead of the forthcoming elections. However, there were four individuals who played surprising roles in the primaries, leaving a significant impression on Agyapong.
Stephen Amoah, the Member of Parliament for Nhyieso and a key campaigner for Kennedy Agyapong, was expected to deliver a victory for Agyapong in his constituency. Surprisingly, Agyapong lost in Nhyieso, where the results showed Dr. Bawumia ahead with 379 votes compared to Agyapong's 321 votes. Amoah's strong support did not translate into a win, which was unexpected given his prominence in Agyapong's campaign.
Prophet Elbernard Nelson-Eshun, the General Overseer of Spirit Life Revival Ministries, was another figure who shocked Agyapong. The prophet had predicted Agyapong's victory, claiming divine revelation. Despite these declarations, Agyapong did not win, as Dr. Bawumia emerged victorious, contradicting the prophecy.
In Effutu, Kennedy Agyapong recorded a significant victory, which was unexpected in the constituency of Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin. Agyapong garnered 644 votes, a landslide in comparison to the other candidates. This victory in Effutu was a surprise to many, considering the political landscape.
Dr. Bryan Acheampong, the MP for Abetifi, surprised Agyapong by securing a win in the Volta Region. In the previous NPP primaries of 2023, Agyapong had dominated the region, but in 2026, Dr. Acheampong managed to capture significant support, securing more than 18% of the nationwide vote.
Overall, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia emerged as the winner of the NPP presidential primaries, obtaining 110,645 votes (56.48%). Kennedy Agyapong followed with 46,554 votes (23.76%), and Dr. Bryan Acheampong garnered 36,303 votes (18.53%). Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum and Kwabena Agyapong received 1,999 votes (1.02%) and 402 votes (0.21%), respectively. More than 211,000 delegates participated in the primaries, casting their votes across over 300 polling centres nationwide in this keenly contested race.