Flagbearer hopeful of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Bryan Acheampong has seen a notable uptick in nationwide support among delegates, but a surprising shift in the Eastern Region, his traditional stronghold, has seen him slip to second place.

This is according to a new poll by Academics and Professionals.

The findings were unveiled at a press conference held in Accra at the British Council by the lead researcher, Dr. Evans Duah.

At the press conference, Dr. Duah emphasized that Kennedy Agyapong was on course to be elected as the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party ahead of its presidential primaries scheduled for January 2026.

According to him, a September 22 to October 5, 2025, survey of NPP delegates revealed a decisive shift in national-level preferences ahead of the party’s presidential primaries.

Building on the August 2025 baseline, the updated poll, conducted by a team of 120 trained field officers, sampled 26,150 delegates across all 16 administrative regions, achieving a robust 76% response rate.

The findings show that Kennedy Agyapong has not only retained but significantly expanded his lead among NPP delegates.

Under the worst-case scenario model, the former MP commands 44.11% of national delegate support, rising to 53.80% in the best-case projection, surpassing the majority threshold and marking a net gain of 9.69 percentage points since August.

Mr Agyapong’s dominance is particularly pronounced in the southern regions, including Central, Greater Accra, Ashanti, Ahafo, Bono, Volta, and Western. He now leads in 9 out of 16 regions under conservative assumptions and 11 out of 16 regions under optimistic assumptions, underscoring both his numerical strength and geographical reach.

Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia maintains second place with worst-case support at 39.51%. However, his best-case share has declined to 32.21%, reflecting stagnation and limited traction. While Dr Bawumia continues to hold sway in the northern corridor, namely North East, Northern, Savannah, Upper East, and Upper West, his campaign faces challenges in expanding its appeal nationally.

Dr. Bryan Acheampong, once a rising contender, has seen his support dip to 6.28% (worst case) and 8.27% (best case), remaining regionally concentrated in the Eastern Region. Meanwhile, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum and Ing. Kwabena Agyei Agyapong have recorded modest gains, with potential influence through strategic endorsements or alliances.

Key drivers of the changes in the latest poll include Mr Agyapong’s intensified constituency campaign focus, heightened visibility, and perceived momentum.

While the results indicate a turning point in the race’s trajectory, Dr. Duah cautioned that the contest remains fluid. He further added that the final outcome will depend on how effectively campaigns convert momentum into votes within the short window before the primaries.