Aspiring New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum has warned those dismissing his chances in the party’s presidential race to do so at their own peril.

The former Education Minister, speaking on Joy News’ PM Express on September 16, embraced the underdog tag but insisted it was an advantage in politics.

“Underdog is good, and I will always accept that I used to be an underdog, so I will always accept underdog. Underdog is always good in politics,” he said when asked by host Evans Mensah if he accepted that label.

Pressed on why it was good in the context of the primary, Dr Adutwum argued that being underestimated played in his favour.

“You are an underdog...You are underestimated...It’s good. I know the work I’m doing on the ground, so if you underestimate me, it’s good for me.”

He cited the August 29, 2025, Global Info Analytics survey, which placed Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia at 42 per cent, Kennedy Agyapong at 36 per cent, and himself at 10 per cent.

But he dismissed suggestions that the numbers put him at a disadvantage.

“Well, 10% we just started. I just filed my nomination. They’ve been running around the country for how many years, campaigning? Bawumia has campaigned for 16 years plus and now, he’s a household name.

"He’s known everywhere; he was with former president Akufo-Addo all these years. So I’m even happy that I just started, and I’m 10%.”

Dr Adutwum said the race had only begun, and he was prepared to surprise his rivals.

“Now that the battle has begun and the wisdom has been blown, I’m going to let Ghanaians know that there will be a new dawn.

"A new day in this country, where all the things that we thought were not possible become possible because there’s a can-do spirit, a can-do attitude that says, I don’t take no for an answer when it comes to making sure that we really elevate this nation out of poverty to a place where we can be proud of this nation.”