Former Energy Minister and former running mate to Dr Mahamudu Bawumia in the 2024 presidential election, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, has said he has no interest in the outcome of the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) national delegates conference but has expressed confidence that Dr Bawumia will lead the NPP to victory in the 2028 presidential election.

Speaking to JoyNews on the sidelines of the NPP Delegates Conference in Kumasi on Saturday, October 3, Dr Opoku Prempeh, popularly known as NAPO, was asked whether people say he had an interest in the leadership contest taking place at the conference.

He said the decision ultimately belonged to the party’s delegates.

“The wisdom of the mass, the wisdom of the masses will prevail,” he said.

Dr Opoku Prempeh was then asked about the prospects of the NPP in what is expected to be a closely contested 2028 election.

The question noted that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) would not be going into the election with President John Dramani Mahama as its candidate, while the NPP would be relying on Dr Bawumia, who has previously contested a presidential election.

When asked whether he expected 2028 to be a difficult contest for the NPP, Dr Opoku Prempeh said Ghana’s elections had historically been competitive and that the final decision would rest with voters.

“All Ghana’s elections have been tough and have been keenly contested,” he said.

“But at the end of the day, the wisdom of the masses will speak.”

He said voters would ultimately assess the candidates and decide who they believed could provide the country with the direction and hope they wanted from 2029.

“The voters will decide who they think would give Ghana hope from 2029 going, and they will elect that person,” he said.

“And I believe sincerely, it’s going to be Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and the NPP,” he added.

His comments came as the NPP gathered at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi for its national delegates conference and elections.

More than 7,000 delegates are taking part in the exercise, which is being supervised by the Electoral Commission (EC). The election is the final stage of the party’s nationwide reorganisation ahead of the 2028 general election.

The conference is also considering proposed amendments to the party’s constitution before delegates elect national officers who will oversee the party’s organisation in the period leading to the next general election.