Accra: The New Patriotic Party (NPP) on December 31, 2026, elected its flagbearer for the 2028 general election in the person of former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia. With Bawumia having been the presidential candidate in the 2024 election, attention turned to his choice of running mate for that campaign.
According to Ghana Web, former Majority Leader of Parliament, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, shared insights in a 2025 interview regarding the selection of Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, also known as NAPO, as the running mate for Dr. Bawumia during the 2024 presidential election. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu revealed that he was among several candidates considered for the role, including Dr. Yaw Adutwum, Frema Osei-Opare, and Joseph Osei Owusu.
Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu noted that he recommended NAPO to Dr. Bawumia due to NAPO's capability to address political issues effectively. He highlighted NAPO's contributions in Parliament, Asante heritage, and familial connections to former President John Agyekum Kufuor as influential factors in his advice. He emphasized that NAPO's strengths would complement Parliament and help bridge factions within the party.
Despite the strategic selection of NAPO, the Bawumia-NAPO ticket was unsuccessful in the 2024 general election, losing to the National Democratic Congress led by President John Dramani Mahama.