With only two weeks remaining until the New Patriotic Party (NPP) selects its candidate for the 2028 general elections, Ashanti Regional Chairman Bernard Antwi Bosiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, has issued a call to party delegates to prioritise electoral viability over personal loyalty.

Speaking on Saturday, January 17, 2026, during Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia’s high-octane campaign tour of the Ejura Sekyedumase Constituency, Wontumi argued that the party’s survival depends on a cold, calculated assessment of who can actually win the presidency.

In a speech that set the tone for the final stretch of the primary campaign, Chairman Wontumi emphasised that the upcoming January 31 polls must not be seen as a popularity contest or a reward for past relationships.

Instead, he positioned Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia as the winning machine capable of securing the 2028 mandate.

“If it is power that we want, then it shouldn’t be about the relationships we have with people but about the person who can help us win the 2028 election,” Wontumi told a crowd of enthusiastic supporters and party delegates.

The contest has narrowed down to a fierce battle between three heavyweights, each with a distinct vision for the party's future.

The call for pragmatism comes amidst internal warnings that the NPP must present a united front to withstand a resurgence.

While Dr. Bawumia has centred his campaign on unity and continuity, rivals like Kennedy Ohene Agyapong argue that only a radical shift can reclaim the hearts of the grassroots.

Wontumi’s stance, however, remains unyielding.

He urged delegates to ignore family ties or long-standing friendships that might cloud their judgement.

For the Ashanti Regional Chairman, the overriding consideration is simple: Who is the person most likely to defeat the opponents in 2028?