Bawumia nonetheless NPP’s most powerful asset — Northern area operations crew – Life Pulse Daily

Introduction

In the wake of the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) defeat in the 2024 general elections, internal debates regarding the future direction of the party and its leadership have intensified. A significant flashpoint in this discourse is the role and political future of Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the former Vice President. Dr. Bryan Acheampong recently suggested that the NPP must move on from Dr. Bawumia to secure victory in 2028. However, the Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia Northern Region Operations Team has issued a forceful rebuttal, defending the Vice President’s record and asserting his indispensable value to the party. This article provides a comprehensive analysis of the controversy, examining the arguments, historical context, and the tangible achievements often cited to bolster Dr. Bawumia’s standing as a formidable political asset.

Key Points

Background

The internal friction within the New Patriotic Party (NPP) follows the electoral outcome of the 2024 general elections in Ghana. Following the party’s loss, various factions and stakeholders have engaged in post-mortem analyses to determine what went wrong and how to chart a path to victory in the next electoral cycle. Dr. Bryan Acheampong, a prominent figure within the party, posited that the NPP cannot go into the 2028 elections with Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia as the flagbearer. His argument centered on the geographical spread of the 2024 votes, specifically noting that Dr. Bawumia failed to secure victory in seven out of sixteen regions.

This critique triggered a response from the Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia Northern Region Operations Team, a group dedicated to mobilizing support for the former Vice President in the northern part of Ghana. Led by their Director of Communications, Yussif Danjumah, the team issued a statement on Monday, December 22, 2025. They sought to contextualize the electoral performance and defend Dr. Bawumia’s standing within the party. The controversy highlights the delicate balance between accountability for electoral loss and the recognition of a candidate’s long-term potential and administrative record.

Analysis

The dispute between the Northern Region Operations Team and Dr. Bryan Acheampong revolves around two distinct narratives: the interpretation of electoral data and the definition of a viable candidate.

The Debate Over Electoral Performance

Dr. Acheampong’s argument relies on a quantitative assessment of the 2024 results. By pointing out that Dr. Bawumia secured only three of the sixteen regions, he implies a lack of broad national appeal necessary for a presidential victory. However, the Northern Region Operations Team counters this by introducing a longitudinal perspective. They argue that measuring a candidate solely by the immediate number of regions won in their first attempt is a flawed metric.

Yussif Danjumah cited the historical trajectories of two of the NPP’s most successful leaders. In 1996, John Agyekum Kufuor ran for president and won only one region. In 2012, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo won two regions. Both men eventually led the party to victory in subsequent elections. By placing Dr. Bawumia’s performance—winning three regions—against this historical backdrop, the team argues that his performance is not an anomaly but rather a sign of growth and potential. This reframing suggests that the 2024 result should be viewed as a foundation to build upon rather than a disqualifying failure.

The “Intellectual Dishonesty” Claim

The Operations Team’s characterization of Dr. Acheampong’s comments as “intellectually dishonest” stems from the accusation that he is applying a selective standard. They suggest that focusing solely on the regional spread ignores the complex dynamics of national elections, including incumbency fatigue, global economic trends, and campaign strategy. By isolating Dr. Bawumia as the sole architect of the 2024 loss, the team argues that Dr. Acheampong is engaging in a “deliberate attempt to mislead the public.” This defense attempts to distribute the responsibility for the loss across the party machinery rather than concentrating it on the individual candidate.

The “Most Marketable” Asset

Beyond historical comparisons, the team emphasizes Dr. Bawumia’s current standing within the party. They describe him as the “most marketed, most recognisable, and arguably the most popular figure” in the NPP. This assertion is critical in the context of opposition politics. A party out of power often requires a figure with high name recognition and the ability to galvanize the base. The team argues that discarding such an asset would be strategically unsound. Furthermore, they turned the critique back on Dr. Acheampong by referencing his own political setbacks, specifically his unsuccessful bids in the Suhum Constituency and the Abetifi seat. This counter-critique serves to question the credibility of the messenger rather than just the message.

Key Points

Practical Advice

For political observers, party members, and students of Ghanaian politics trying to understand this factional dispute, the following practical insights are relevant:

1. Analyze Party History for Patterns

When evaluating a candidate’s viability after an election loss, it is practical to look at the party’s historical patterns. The NPP has a tradition of allowing candidates to mature. Just as Kufuor and Akufo-Addo were retained after initial losses to eventually win the presidency, the Northern Region Operations Team argues that the same patience should be applied to Dr. Bawumia. Voters and analysts should consider whether a candidate has the capacity to learn and reorganize rather than just looking at the immediate numbers.

2. Distinguish Between Electoral Loss and Policy Failure

It is important to separate the political fate of a candidate from the success of their policies. Dr. Bawumia may have lost the 2024 election, but the Operations Team argues that his policy legacy (digitalization) remains intact and beneficial. For voters, this distinction is crucial: a candidate can be effective in governance but unsuccessful in campaigning. Understanding this nuance helps in assessing the true value of a political figure to a party.

3. Assess the Cost of Internal Division

The Operations Team warns that abandoning Dr. Bawumia now would undermine party harmony. In practical political terms, alienating a significant faction within a party—specifically the “Bawumia camp”—can be disastrous for general election turnout and fundraising. The advice here is that party unity is often a prerequisite for electoral victory. Calls for a candidate to step down should be weighed against the potential for fracturing the party base.

4. Verify Claims with Historical Data

When politicians make claims about electoral performance, such as Dr. Acheampong’s focus on regions won, it is practical to verify these against historical data. As shown by the rebuttal, looking at the performance of past icons like Kufuor (1 region in 1996) provides necessary context. A single data point without historical comparison can lead to misleading conclusions about a candidate’s popularity.

FAQ

Conclusion

The controversy surrounding Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia’s future in the New Patriotic Party encapsulates the classic tension between electoral pragmatism and historical loyalty. Dr. Bryan Acheampong’s call for a new direction highlights the immediate sting of the 2024 defeat, focusing on the lack of regional spread. However, the Northern Region Operations Team’s robust defense offers a counter-narrative grounded in NPP history and policy legacy. By drawing parallels to the early careers of John Kufuor and Nana Akufo-Addo, they argue that patience and continuity are the NPP’s best paths forward. Furthermore, their emphasis on Dr. Bawumia’s digital transformation legacy suggests that his value to the party extends beyond vote counts to tangible governance achievements. As the NPP looks toward 2028, the decision on whether to retain Dr. Bawumia will likely depend on whether the party prioritizes immediate electoral metrics or the long-term potential of a candidate with a proven track record in governance and a strong base of support in the northern regions.

Sources

• Life Pulse Daily: “Bawumia nonetheless NPP’s most powerful asset — Northern area operations crew” (Published: 2025-12-22).
• Statement by Yussif Danjumah, Director of Communications, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia Northern Region Operations Team (Read: December 22, 2025).
• Historical electoral data regarding the New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential candidates in 1996 and 2012.