Former Vice President and 2024 presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has expressed firm confidence in the party’s chances of returning to power in the 2028 general elections.
Speaking to members of the NPP’s diaspora branch in London, Dr Bawumia said historical trends in Ghana’s political landscape tend to favour opposition parties.
He noted that it is often challenging for political parties in Ghana to win national elections with a new presidential candidate after a sitting president has served two terms. He cited this as a key reason for his optimism.
“Our political history suggests that it is very difficult for a first-time presidential candidate to win an election in Ghana… so there is a sense that in 2028 the NDC is going to present a first-time candidate. I believe we will have an advantage, all things being equal, over that new candidate coming in 2028,” he said.
Dr Bawumia also pointed to the ruling National Democratic Congress’s (NDC) inability to fulfill many of the promises it made during the 2024 campaign as another reason for the NPP’s expected comeback.
“In opposition, they made many promises and told a lot of stories about what they were going to do. Now that they are in government, they said they would reduce the cost of living… but prices are instead going up,” Dr Bawumia noted.
He also apologised to party members for the NPP’s disappointing performance in the 2024 elections.
“The NPP did a lot of work, there’s no doubt about that, but we did not get everything right. We got quite a few things wrong. On my own behalf and on behalf of the party, I apologise to all of you for not getting the figures right,” he said.
Despite the setback, Dr Bawumia expressed optimism for the future.
“I believe that, by the grace of God, if we are given another opportunity, we will get many things right because we have learned the lessons that will guide us forward.”
Following the party’s landslide defeat in the 2024 elections, a 12-member committee led by former Speaker of Parliament Professor Mike Oquaye investigated the causes of the loss and has presented its findings to the party leadership.
However, the party has declined to disclose the contents of the report, saying it is not meant for public consumption.
In the 2024 elections, the NPP suffered significant losses in both presidential and parliamentary contests. John Mahama, the National Democratic Congress candidate, polled 6,328,397 votes representing 56.55%, while Dr Mahamudu Bawumia secured 4,657,304 votes representing 41.61%.