Dr Bryan Acheampong is suffering from 'bawu-phobia'

Dr Bryan Acheampong’s recent public claim that he has privately “appealed” to Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia to step down from the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) January 2026 presidential primary race should be met not with applause but with sober reflection.

At a moment when Ghana’s leading opposition party must project unity, clarity, and strategic discipline, such statements risk undermining the very cause Dr. Acheampong professes to champion. It is essential to interrogate the timing, context, and implication of his remarks.

First, Dr Acheampong’s assertion directly contradicts his earlier public stance that he is poised to win the NPP’s 2028 presidential candidacy when delegates go to the polls in January 2026. Only recently, he presented himself as a credible contender in a crowded field, projecting confidence in his own appeal and campaign platform.

Now, suggesting that Ghana’s most electorally visible NPP figure should withdraw suggests either a sudden strategic pivot or a problematic inconsistency in messaging. If Dr Acheampong genuinely believes he is “winning” the race, there is little strategic logic in calling for the withdrawal of the most competitive candidate.

More than inconsistency, however, this move smacks of desperation. At a time when the Bawumia campaign is demonstrably gaining traction; consistently topping polls and appearing as the clear front-runner, Dr. Acheampong’s comments risk being perceived as an attempt to undermine and ridicule the substantive progress of that campaign rather than build on it constructively. In politics, credibility is currency. Leveraging unverified claims to sway narrative rarely advances one’s cause; it diminishes it.

Independent polling: including surveys conducted by respected institutions such as Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) Ghana and Governance Lab Africa, shows Dr. Bawumia commanding lead in the contest. Recent figures indicate he attracts nearly seven out of every ten delegates in key polls, with solid margins over his nearest opponents.

These data are not based on conjecture but on thousands of responses collected across regions and demographics.

This mounting momentum reflects more than statistical advantage: it shows Dr. Bawumia’s ability to galvanize support across the party — not just among delegates but within the broader NPP constituency. Senior party voices have affirmed his attractiveness as a candidate, highlighting his experience, proven leadership, and consistent message of unity and renewal.

Importantly, with the primaries now just weeks away, there are strong indications that Dr. Bawumia is on course to secure a decisive share of votes; potentially in the range of 70–75%, among delegates prepared to determine the party’s direction.

Such a leading position underscores not only his popularity but the confidence delegates place in his capacity to engage the larger electorate and lead the NPP back to governance in 2028.

Rather than issuing speculative appeals Dr Bawumia to stand down, Dr Acheampong should focus on competing robustly on ideas, records, and vision for the future of Ghana. That is what party democracy demands and what Ghana’s citizens deserve. In the end, unity is forged not through rhetorical disruption but through collective commitment to fair competition and mutual respect. The NPP’s strength lies in its ability to champion both, and in that test, Dr. Bawumia currently stands poised to lead.

It is unfathomable why Dr Bryan is calling on Dr Bawumia to step down. Dr Bryan's claim that Dr Bawumia is unelectable is the most flawed logic I have heard in recent times. If Dr Bawumia is not viable, let the January poll determine.

What makes sense in this weird call for Dr Bawumia to abandon the constest is Dr Bryan's extreme FEAR! Dr Bryan and his campaign are suffering from "bawu-phobia". His inner belief tells him that, he will lose miserably to Dr Bawumia.