NPP Primaries: Kennedy Agyapong vs. Mahamudu Bawumia - Head-to-Head

There are four contenders in the New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer elections that takes place today (November 4, 2024).

Two of them have been tagged the frontrunners. They are Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia and Assin Central Member of Parliament Kennedy Agyapong.

The two outsiders are former MPs in the persons of Owusu Afriyie Akoto (who is also a former agric minister) and Francis Addai-Nimoh, a one-time MP for Mampong.

GhanaWeb measures the political strength of the two frontrunners even as over 208,000 delegates prepare to cast their ballots across the country.

Electoral records:

Bawumia's first national election within the NPP was barely two months ago on August 26, when he defeated Ken and eight other contenders in a Super Delegates Conference to whittle down the number of aspirants from 10 to 5.

It was effectively Ken's first national election as well. Bawumia polled over 68% of votes whiles Ken got under 15% of valid votes cast.

Ken has however enjoyed electoral success as a Member of Parliament in his native Central Region, speciifically Assin North and later Assin Central.

Ken is a five-time MP who is quitting Parliament after the current session ends.

Entry into the party

Ken traces his entry into the party to as far back as 1992 when it was formed and has serially touted his financial contributions to theh formation and subsequently to the party's electoral war chest.

Bawumia on the other hand, came into the political limelight in the run-up to the 2008 General Elections when he was named running mate to then candidate Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

Akufo-Addo lost that election and the 2012 bid before winning the 2016 and 2020 polls. Bawumia became Vice President in 2016 and has held the role since.

Political baggage

The Assin Central lawmaker started his bid for the presidency early this year but had made a strong impact along the way foring his way into second place in the party ranking of aspirants.

He displaced Alan Kyerematen, the perenial second-place candidate to Akufo-Addo in the August vote. His baggage has largely been his pronouncements in the past, where he attacked opponents and party people alike as well as other public personalities.

He has also been accused severally of being a product of government patronage, that he benefits from government contracts.

Bawumia on the other hand is in the direct line of attack relative to the bad state of the economy, given his role in opposition as the economic whizkid of the Akufo-Addo campaign.

But more so, as the head of the Economic Management Team (EMT) in his role as Vice President, a role the president publicly announced the Bawumia was excelling in prior to the economic slump.

Bawumia's eerie silence on all matters economy has not helped matters as he has drifted to championing digitalization.

Who has what base?

When Agyapong came a distant second in the August 26 vote, he consoled himself with the excuse that the over 900 voters were elites who had already openly endorsed Bawumia so he was expecting to lose the election.

In his view, with an electoral college of over 208,000 voters expected to cast their ballots today, his strength as a grassroots leader will ensure that he defeats Bawumia.

That tag has, however, been claimed by Bawumia who concurrently rejected the establishment candidate tag stating that he was also a grassroots person and that he drew his support from the same place.

What is incontrovertible is that Bawumia weilds the support of most government appointees and MPs. Rumour that he is the choice of the presidency and of the party has festered despite attempts at dissociation.

Campaign spread

Agyapong is on record to have stated that he has visited all 275 constituencies prior to today.

"I have visited all 275 constituencies in Ghana, I have interacted and shared my vision and plan for Ghana with them (Delegates). What remains now, is the showdown, which we have to give them on November 4th. I urge every delegate not to sell their vote for money, but rather to base their decision on what each candidate has done and can do for you. Remember to vote for PHD (Patriotism, Honesty and Discipline)," he posted on Twitter (now X) as far back as October 23.

In the case of Bawumia, a campaign lead, Sammi Awuku, is on record to have stated that they visited 261 constituencies across the country.

Media interactions on campaign trail

If media interactions were a major metric for this election, Kennedy Agyapong will have a firm lead.

The Kennedy Agyapong campaign has been touted as one of the most effective political campaigning setups in recent history.

From his interview blitz, the showdown walks in the regions, campaign stops - across the country and abroad and an effective social media messaging - Facebook, YouTube, Twitter (now X), TikTok; rounded up by a cartoon biography; Agyapong's team has scored praise for branding his campaign effectively.

In the three-minute and 16 second cartoon, Agyapong takes viewers on a journey of his life, starting from Assin Dompim through to Adisadel College and onwards to his enterpreneurial beginnings at home.

His trip abroad, to Germany and onwards to the United States and his dogged belief in working hard to make it from serving clients in a cafe and eventually saving to start a cab business is well represented.

Then his involvement in politics, especially by way of contributions to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and business spread in creating jobs for people comes before his declaration to contest as president wraps up the film.

This was Agyapong's last post on Twitter ahead of today's crucial vote in which he is seeking to become flagbearer of the NPP in the 2024 polls.

On his part, Bawumia has close to zero by way of media interactions.

Delegates to elect Akufo-Addo's successor

The NPP has slated November 4, 2023, to elect a successor to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as leader of the party.

Dr. Bawumia will contest for the flagbearership slot along with three other contenders including Assin Central Member of Parliament Kennedy Agyapong, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, and Francis Addai-Nimoh.