…says party cannot win 2032 if it loses 2028 election
TNR Files
Former New Patriotic Party (NPP) running mate Matthew Opoku Prempeh, popularly known as NAPO, has issued a chilling warning about the party’s electoral future, insisting that the NPP must win the 2028 general election or face a decade in the political wilderness.
According to NAPO, a defeat in 2028 would make it virtually impossible for the party to recover in time for the subsequent 2032 election a prognosis that has sent shockwaves through the party’s rank and file.
Speaking to some NPP supporters in a video circulating widely on social media, the former running mate to Dr Mahamudu Bawumia in the 2024 election stressed the urgency of rallying behind the party’s flagbearer.
“If the NPP do not fight for Dr Bawumia to come, no one will come after him. If you think I am telling lies, don’t do it. If we do not win the 2028, we cannot win the 2032 election,” he declared with unmistakable gravity.
NAPO further urged party members to shut down discussions about potential presidential contenders for 2032, arguing that the immediate priority should be securing victory in 2028.
“So if somebody comes to tell you that someone wants to lead in 2032, shame them,” he said emphatically.
The former Manhyia South MP also disclosed that although he could pick up nomination forms to contest the NPP’s presidential primaries, he would not do so unless Dr Bawumia first becomes President.
“I have said it on the radio, I can pick forms in the NPP, but if I have not helped Dr Bawumia to become President, I will never stand,” he stated.
Dr Opoku Prempeh, who served as Dr Bawumia’s running mate in the 2024 presidential election, is among the names being tipped for the position again ahead of the 2028 elections.
His prospects have been linked to developments within the NPP’s regional structures, particularly in the Ashanti Region the party’s traditional stronghold and electoral bedrock.
Following the party’s regional internal elections, claims emerged that a candidate associated with NAPO had secured the Ashanti Regional Chairmanship, a position considered highly influential in the party’s internal decision-making.
With expectations that the NPP could once again look to the Ashanti Region when selecting its running mate, NAPO is seen by some party insiders as a strong contender for the position.
NAPO’s stark assessment reflects the growing anxiety within the NPP as it grapples with the reality of opposition life after its defeat in the 2024 elections. The party, which had grown accustomed to power, is now struggling to find its footing and chart a path back to the presidency.
The former running mate’s warning that a loss in 2028 would doom the party’s chances in 2032 suggests that the NPP leadership views the upcoming election as existential.
His call for party unity behind Dr Bawumia is a direct challenge to those who may be positioning themselves for future leadership contests, indicating that the party’s internal rivalries are already simmering beneath the surface.
Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, who led the NPP to defeat in 2024, is expected to lead the party again in 2028. However, questions about his electability have persisted, with some party members quietly questioning whether he is the best candidate to lead the charge.
NAPO’s insistence that the party must fight for Bawumia suggests that there are internal voices advocating for a change in leadership a prospect that could further destabilise the party.
NAPO’s warning is clear: the NPP cannot afford to lose the 2028 election. If it does, the party risks a prolonged period in opposition that could take a generation to reverse.
His plea for party unity and his personal pledge to stand by Dr Bawumia are designed to quell internal dissent and focus the party’s energies on the task ahead.
Whether the party heeds his warning remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: the NPP’s path back to power is fraught with challenges, and the clock is ticking.