In a bid to forge a united front ahead of the 2028 general elections, the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has launched a series of private, high-level engagements with his former rivals in the party.

As part of engagements, Dr Bawumia held closed-door talks with vocal party stalwart Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, whose second-place finish in the January 31, 2026, primaries remains a significant factor in the party’s internal dynamics.

The January primary was one of the most fiercely contested in the NPP’s history. Dr Bawumia emerged victorious against a formidable field that included Mr Agyapong, former General Secretary Kwabena Agyepong, former Education Minister Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, and former Agriculture Minister Bryan Acheampong.

However, the shadow of that contest remains long. Political analysts point out that while the victory was decisive, the rhetoric used during the campaign created deep fissures between the Bawumia Camp and the grassroots revolution led by Kennedy Agyapong.

The current engagements are designed to prevent these cracks from becoming permanent fractures that could haunt the party’s 2028 prospects.

Dr Bawumia’s outreach is not limited to the former Assin Central MP. The flagbearer is also in talks with the other contestants.

The most delicate piece of the puzzle remains Kennedy Agyapong.

Known for his uncompromising stance and massive influence among the party’s youth, Agyapong’s full-throated endorsement is seen as the oxygen the NPP needs for a 2028 victory.

The party’s ability to move beyond the primary and present a cohesive front remains the single most important variable in its quest to retain power in what is expected to be a historic 2028 electoral battle.