Boakye Kyeremanteng Agyarko has formally entered the race for National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), positioning his candidacy as a grassroots-driven effort to rebuild the party, restore internal trust and reclaim political power.
Speaking during the filing of his nomination on August 26, 2026, Mr Agyarko said his decision was driven by a direct call from the grassroots rather than wealthy individuals or political financiers.
He revealed that more than 50 constituency chairmen contributed funds to pay for his nomination forms, describing the gesture as a significant demonstration of grassroots confidence in his leadership.
“I am indebted to the grassroots, not wealthy financiers,” his campaign message stated, expressing appreciation to the constituency chairmen who supported his bid.
A party in decline
Mr Agyarko described the NPP as a “wounded elephant”, pointing to the party’s decline in parliamentary representation over the past decade.
According to him, the NPP fell from 169 parliamentary seats in 2016 to 137 in 2020 and further to 88 seats in the 2024 elections.
He argued that the figures reflected a deeper problem within the party, saying nearly two million voters had moved away because they no longer felt that the NPP belonged to them.
For him, the solution is to return the party to its grassroots members and rebuild confidence from the constituency level upwards.
“This is a covenant of renewal,” the campaign message said, presenting his candidacy as an instruction from ordinary party members for a restoration of the NPP.
Experience in leadership
Mr Agyarko is also seeking to make his international and political experience a central part of his campaign.
He points to more than 22 years of global leadership experience, including his work at the Bank of New York, as well as his involvement in the NPP’s organisational and political activities.
His political experience includes serving as Chairman of the Danquah Busia Club of North America, Chairman of the NPP’s North America branch, National Campaign Manager in 2012, Policy Adviser and Cabinet Minister.
He said his ambition is not to seek a higher political position but to concentrate on strengthening the party and helping Dr Mahamudu Bawumia win the presidency while restoring the NPP’s parliamentary majority.
“I seek no higher office,” the campaign message said, stressing that his objective is to “do one job: make Dr. Bawumia President and reclaim our Parliamentary Majority.”
He also presented himself as a neutral figure capable of overseeing internal party contests fairly.
Five pillars of reform
At the heart of Mr Agyarko’s campaign is a five-point reform agenda aimed at changing the way the party operates.
- Neutrality
He promises total loyalty to Dr Bawumia while pledging to remain neutral in internal party contests.
He said the National Chairman must act as a “fair referee, not a player” when members compete for internal positions.
- One Member, One Vote transition
Mr Agyarko proposes the development of a credible, carded membership register within one year as part of a transition towards an “One Member, One Vote” system.
He believes a reliable membership register will be essential to ensuring transparency and credibility in future internal elections.
“The register is now our ballot,” his campaign message emphasised.
- Financial accountability
He is also promising greater transparency in the management of party finances.
Under his proposed reforms, audited accounts would be presented annually, while resources meant for grassroots members would be delivered to them on time.
The pledge is aimed at strengthening trust between the national leadership and constituency-level structures.
- Reconciliation
Mr Agyarko says rebuilding the NPP will require an active reconciliation programme to reconnect with members who feel marginalised or abandoned.
He proposes personally visiting “wounded members” in their homes and engaging them to return to the party.
The objective, according to his campaign, is to build “one strong unified party” ahead of the next electoral contest.
- 365-day party operations
The former minister also wants the NPP to maintain an active organisational structure throughout the year.
He argues that party machinery should not become active only during election periods but should operate continuously for all 365 days.
His proposal includes creating a functional party infrastructure capable of engaging members and voters beyond electoral campaigns.
“No orphans in the NPP”
Mr Agyarko also used his nomination filing to highlight the need for compassion and solidarity among party members.
Under the theme “No Orphans in the NPP,” he said members must stand together during difficult periods and avoid abandoning their colleagues when they face challenges.
He specifically called for sympathy and solidarity for Ashanti Regional NPP Chairman Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi.
“We stand together in the rain. We do not abandon our own in times of difficulty,” his campaign message stated.
Operation One Touch
Mr Agyarko’s ultimate objective is what he calls “Operation One Touch” — securing two major victories for the NPP.
The first is the election of Dr Mahamudu Bawumia as President, while the second is the restoration of the party’s parliamentary majority.
He believes the National Chairman can serve as a bridge between the national leadership and the party’s grassroots base.
“I will be the bridge connecting Dr. Bawumia’s leadership to the raw power of our grassroots,” the campaign message said.
“The Elephant Must Rise Again”
Mr Agyarko concluded his message by presenting the 2026 National Chairman contest as a defining moment for the NPP.
He argued that the party does not need another leader merely to manage its decline but requires a builder capable of restoring its structures, reconnecting with its members and preparing it for electoral victory.
“At this critical moment, the NPP does not need a past caretaker for its decline; it needs a builder for its restoration. The Elephant Must Rise Again!” he declared.
His nomination now places grassroots mobilisation, internal reform, reconciliation and electoral recovery at the centre of his campaign for the NPP National Chairmanship.
Agyarko can unite Bawumia supporters, Alex Tetteh says
Mr Alex Tetteh, a former MP who serves on Dr Mahamudu Bawumia’s campaign team while also running operations for Mr Agyarko’s campaign, said his dual role demonstrated that support for the two politicians was not contradictory.
He said some party members had questioned whether he could simultaneously support Dr Bawumia and campaign for Mr Agyarko.
“I am not here to argue that they fit. I am here as the evidence that they do,” he said.
Mr Tetteh explained that his support for Mr Agyarko was rooted in his desire to see a united NPP capable of winning the 2028 elections.
He also praised Mr Agyarko for what he described as his willingness to work with party members without forcing them into political camps or factions.
According to him, Mr Agyarko had never asked him to join a particular group or side during their time working together.
Mr Tetteh subsequently urged delegates to mobilise support at the constituency level by bringing additional delegates into the campaign.
His proposed electoral formula was: “Agyarko as Chairman. Bawumia as President. The Majority restored in Parliament. One touch, three victories.”
Cape Coast South Chairman highlights grassroots concerns
Nana Mbrah Appiah, Constituency Chairman for Cape Coast South, focused his remarks on women and young people who supported the NPP during the 2024 elections.
He said women in his constituency worked extensively for the party, including campaigning, preparing food and remaining at polling stations until the close of voting and counting.
He similarly praised young people who helped with posters, guarded ballot boxes and promoted the party through their personal mobile phones and internet data.
However, he expressed concern that many of these grassroots supporters were not properly captured in the party’s membership records.
“They are on no list we hold,” he said, arguing that the absence of their names from the party’s register could contribute to declining enthusiasm among younger supporters.
Mr Appiah warned that the NPP risked losing an entire generation if young members felt their contribution to the party was not recognised.
He said Mr Agyarko had responded to the concern by asking for details of grassroots supporters, including their numbers and polling stations.
According to him, the candidate had promised to build a membership register that properly captures the party’s supporters.
Mr Appiah said he intended to hold Mr Agyarko accountable for that commitment if he becomes National Chairman.
Northern regions rally behind Agyarko
MP Dominic Nitiwu sought to highlight what he described as support for Mr Agyarko across the five northern regions.
He noted that Mr Agyarko was not from his region but said he had chosen to support him based on his engagements with delegates in the Northern, North East, Savannah, Upper East and Upper West regions.
Mr Nitiwu said delegates he had interacted with had expressed their support for Mr Agyarko’s chairmanship bid.
He also linked the National Chairman election to the NPP’s broader goal of restoring its parliamentary majority.
According to him, the party’s parliamentary comeback would require successful internal primaries across constituencies without creating divisions that could damage the party.
He argued that the National Chairman must therefore be someone capable of earning the trust of competing factions during internal contests.
“Every one of those contests needs a chairman that both sides trust,” he said.
Mr Nitiwu subsequently called on other parts of the party to join what he described as the northern regions’ decision to support Mr Agyarko.
Tampuli backs Agyarko as a Bawumia supporter
MP Alhassan Tampuli also sought to reassure supporters of Dr Bawumia that backing Mr Agyarko would not undermine the flagbearer’s presidential ambitions.
Mr Tampuli described himself as a long-standing supporter of Dr Bawumia, saying he had campaigned for him through three national campaigns.
His support for Mr Agyarko, he explained, was therefore intended to complement rather than compete with Dr Bawumia’s presidential bid.
Mr Tampuli recalled that Mr Agyarko had contested for the party’s presidential nomination in 2023 but did not secure the nomination.
He praised Mr Agyarko for remaining within the party and continuing to work after the defeat.
“He did not sulk. He did not run to the radio stations. He did not take one single person with him out of the door,” Mr Tampuli said.
He argued that such an experience could help Mr Agyarko understand the responsibilities of an impartial National Chairman.
According to Mr Tampuli, the party’s next chairman must be capable of managing internal contests fairly, including situations where one candidate has to be told that he or she has lost.
He said Dr Bawumia, having already secured the party’s flagbearership, needed a National Chairman trusted by all sides rather than someone who would simply act as another campaign supporter.
“One touch, three victories”
Across the four speeches, the campaign maintained a common message centred on three objectives: electing Mr Agyarko as NPP National Chairman, supporting Dr Bawumia’s presidential bid and restoring the party’s parliamentary majority.
The campaign describes this as “One touch, three victories.”
The speakers also urged delegates not to limit their participation to themselves but to bring another delegate into the mobilisation effort.
The campaign’s broader argument is that Mr Agyarko’s leadership should focus on rebuilding grassroots confidence, strengthening the party’s internal structures and creating unity ahead of the 2028 general election.
The speeches ended with a common appeal for delegates to support Mr Agyarko’s National Chairmanship bid, Dr Bawumia’s presidential campaign and the NPP’s parliamentary comeback.
“The elephant shall rise and serve again,” the campaign declared.
