Annoh-Dompreh already eyeing NPP vice-presidential slot - Report

Even before the New Patriotic Party (NPP) goes to the polls tomorrow, Saturday, 31 January 2026, to elect its presidential flagbearer, internal manoeuvring over the party’s future leadership is already intensifying.

A key figure within Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia’s camp, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, Member of Parliament (MP) for Nsawam/Adoagyiri, is reportedly positioning himself for the vice-presidential slot ahead of the 2028 general election, should Dr Bawumia secure the party’s flagbearership.

Sources close to the Bawumia campaign say Annoh-Dompreh has been openly critical of Dr Bawumia’s 2024 running mate, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, popularly known as NAPO, arguing that the former Energy Minister added little electoral value to the ticket in the December 2024 elections and should not be retained should Dr Bawumia secure the party’s nomination again.

The Nsawam/Adoagyiri MP is said to be touting his own credentials in support of his ambitions, citing his parliamentary seniority as a fourth-term legislator, his current role as Minority Chief Whip, and what he describes as his broad national appeal.

He has also reportedly cited his maternal Ashanti heritage, fluency in Ewe, marriage to a northern woman, Barbara, and his representation of a constituency in the Eastern Region as factors that enhance his appeal as a unifying figure within the opposition party.

Insiders say Annoh-Dompreh has long maintained a strained relationship with Mr Opoku Prempeh and regards Dr Bawumia’s choice of NAPO in 2024 as a strategic error that should not be repeated.

Sources indicate that Annoh-Dompreh’s relationship with NAPO has long been strained, dating back to the period when the latter served as Energy Minister.

Insiders say Annoh-Dompreh has repeatedly described the 2024 running mate selection as a strategic error that should not be repeated, remarks which have not gone unnoticed within party circles.

Annoh-Dompreh is also said to be presenting himself as the most formidable NPP figure from the Eastern Region and is reportedly urging party faithful in the region to rally behind him should Dr Bawumia emerge victorious in the flagbearer race.

He is said to have expressed these views on several occasions during internal party engagements, with Opoku Prempeh aware of his position.

The Nsawam/Adoagyiri MP reportedly sees himself as the most formidable NPP figure from the Eastern Region and believes the region should be strongly considered for the vice-presidential slot in 2028.

He is said to be emphasising his status as a fourth-term Member of Parliament and his role as Minority Chief Whip as evidence of his suitability.

However, Annoh-Dompreh’s reported ambitions are causing unease among some Bawumia loyalists, who accuse him of undermining party cohesion at a critical moment. Several insiders have expressed concern over what they describe as his lack of team spirit and increasingly overt manoeuvring.

There are also lingering criticisms of his performance as Minority Chief Whip, with some party figures privately questioning his effectiveness in the role and suitability for higher office.

Others describe his political style as overly transactional, a characterisation his supporters dispute.

Beyond Annoh-Dompreh, the Eastern Region is home to several high-profile NPP figures who could be considered for national leadership roles, including Bryan Acheampong, Abena Osei-Asare, Sammy Awuku, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, and Korkor Asante, among others.

As the NPP prepares to elect its flagbearer, the emerging jostling over the vice-presidential slot underscores the deep internal calculations already shaping the party’s post-2026 electoral strategy as it seeks to regroup and reposition itself ahead of the 2028 general election.