Political Scientist Dr Kwasi Amakye-Boateng has dismissed concerns that Mahamudu Bawumia and Awentami Paul Afoko, both from northern Ghana, should be excluded from leadership roles in the NPP because of their regional background.
Speaking on Kumasi-based Akoma FM, the Senior Political Science Lecturer at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) said the issue would be immaterial if the two were considered capable of contributing to the party’s objectives.
His comments followed a question about possible concerns within the NPP that having Bawumia as flagbearer and Afoko as National Chairman could lead to complaints about both leaders coming from the same broad part of the country.
“Why should that be an issue? If they are capable and they can contribute to the collective aspirations of the party, then what is the problem?” he asked.
Dr Amakye-Boateng said such concerns should not overshadow what he described as the party’s collective aspirations.
He argued that the NPP’s history shows competence and the ability to contribute to the party have often taken precedence over individuals’ specific backgrounds.
“If your opponent has nothing else to say, they will resort to trivialities,” he said.
According to him, the party’s interest should come first when choosing people for leadership positions.
He said political opponents could resort to what he described as “trivialities,” such as regional background, when they believe they have little else to argue.
Dr Amakye-Boateng also pointed to what he described as an emerging tradition within the NPP of supporting people based on their competence.
He cited Bawumia’s own rise within the party as an example, arguing that party members recognised his capacity when they elected him as their presidential candidate.
The political scientist also referred to the NPP’s history of diverse leadership to argue that leaders’ backgrounds have not prevented the party from bringing different people together around its political objectives.
His comments come as the NPP prepares for its October 3, 2026 national executive elections and its broader preparations for the 2028 general election. The party’s chairmanship contest features John Boadu, Sammy Crabbe, Awentami Paul Afoko and Boakye Agyarko.
Ultimately, he said Afoko’s return to active politics could give the NPP an opportunity to pursue reconciliation and bring back members who had become disaffected or withdrawn from the party.
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