Dr. Arthur Kennedy, a prominent stalwart of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and former presidential aspirant, has signaled his willingness to assist the party’s flagbearer-elect, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, but with a stern caveat: he will not be "blackmailed" into a show of unity.

Speaking in the aftermath of the January 31 presidential primary in an interview on Joy FM’s Top Story on Monday, February 2, 2026, the US-based medical practitioner and political analyst emphasized that any support he offers would be contingent on a genuine conversation about the direction of the party and the lessons learned from a divisive primary season.

Dr. Kennedy indicated that his involvement would depend entirely on the substance of Dr. Bawumia's outreach. "It depends on what he tells me... If that [pacification] is done well, [I will help]," he noted.

Dr. Arthur Kennedy pointed to former President John Agyekum Kufuor as the gold standard for party reconciliation.

He noted that after winning his primaries, Kufuor was intentional about pacifying rival factions rather than demanding blind loyalty.

“I think that President Kufuor was an excellent model for unity. After he won the primary, he did a very good job,” Dr. Kennedy remarked. “Every party has factions, and the duty of a good leader is to pacify the factions and unite them.”

The NPP stalwart expressed concern that some quarters within the party use the results of the primary to force critics into silence.

He argued that true unity cannot be achieved if the methods used to win the election left deep-seated resentments among the rank and file.

“I won’t be blackmailed. I’m not going to come and help because it is my duty to help,” he asserted. “Sometimes the blackmail is that the primary itself has been won in ways that made people unhappy, and it is being used to blackmail other people into falling in line.”

Dr. Kennedy challenged the Dr Bawumia to demonstrate leadership by reining in aggressive supporters and acknowledging the valid concerns of those who did not vote for him.

The comments come at a critical time for Dr. Bawumia, who secured 56.48% of the vote but still faces the task of winning over the supporters of Kennedy Agyapong and Dr. Bryan Acheampong, who together represent a significant portion of the party's base.