Private legal practitioner Victoria Bright has urged NPP flagbearer Dr Mahamudu Bawumia to work with Dr Bryan Acheampong and turn him into a strategic asset for the party.

Speaking on JoyNews AM on February 2, Ms Bright said DrAcheampong now commands a strong power base in the party, even without holding the top position, and is clearly positioning himself for greater influence.

Former Vice-President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has won the New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential primary with 110,643 votes.  

Official results collated by the Electoral Commission showed that Dr Bawumia secured a clear majority of the 195,901 valid votes cast in the nationwide election held on Saturday.  

Mr Kennedy Ohene Agyapong placed second with 46,554 votes, while Dr Bryan Acheampong placed third with 36,303 votes.  

“I think Dr. Bawumia needs to navigate the whole Bryan situation very carefully,” she said. “Bryan represents resources, networks, and a tested national operation, which makes him potentially dangerous if not handled correctly. He can either be an ally or a rival, and how Dr. Bawumia manages this will be a test of his leadership within the party.”

Ms Bright explained that in such situations, there are usually two options: neutralize the individual or bring them on board. She warned that attempting to neutralize Bryan would likely fail.

“Trying to neutralize Bryan is not going to work—he is not that kind of person. Doing so would be a very bad and dangerous strategy because it would create a parallel power alongside him, and all talk about unity would be undermined,” she said.

Instead, Ms Bright recommended a collaborative approach, which she believes would benefit both Bawumia and the party.

“The other possibility, which is what I would do if I were in his shoes, is to work with him, partner with him, and turn him into an asset for the party—an institutional asset. This makes sense strategically. Dr Bawumia should assign him responsibilities with measurable outcomes,” she advised.

Ms Bright also cautioned against giving big titles without real power. “Politicians often hand out titles with zero responsibility. You have the title, but no real power. For someone like Bryan, assigning proper, tangible responsibilities will convert him from a potential rival into an asset. That is one of the clearest signals that Dr. Bawumia is serious about unity,” she said.