Tensions within the New Patriotic Party (NPP) escalated in the Bunkpurugu/Nakpanduri constituency as a group of nearly 30 delegates publicly confronted Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, accusing party officials of rigging the 2023 Presidential Primaries to favour Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.
The confrontation, which unfolded during Mr Agyapong’s ongoing campaign tour in the North East Region, centered on allegations that delegates’ support for him was systematically suppressed, resulting in a complete shutout for the former Assin Central MP despite substantial backing.
The incident occurred amid Mr Agyapong’s efforts to rally support ahead of the party’s upcoming Presidential Primaries elections, where he has been making appeals to northern delegates.
In the constituency, known for its strong ethnic ties to Dr Bawumia, a cluster of over two dozen delegates approached Mr Agyapong at a local gathering in the constituency capital, presenting what they described as tangible proof of their intended votes.
These included handwritten tally sheets, witness affidavits from polling stations, and mobile phone recordings capturing discrepancies between voter intentions and official results.
The delegates claimed that during the primaries held on November 4, 2023, they had mobilized at least 40 per cent of the local vote for Mr Agyapong, based on pre-poll surveys and door-to-door canvassing, yet the final tally recorded zero votes for him.
This revelation has reignited long-simmering grievances from the primaries, where Dr Bawumia secured a landslide victory with 61.47 per cent of the national vote, or 118,210 ballots, while Mr Agyapong finished second with 37.41 per cent, or 71,996 votes.
In the North East Region, Dr. Bawumia’s dominance was particularly pronounced, with the Bunkpurugu/Nakpanduri results reflecting a near-unanimous sweep that delegates now attribute to manipulation rather than genuine preference.
The constituency, part of a broader pattern in northern strongholds, contributed to Dr Bawumia’s overwhelming regional lead, but the zero score for Mr Agyapong has fueled suspicions of foul play, including ballot stuffing, voter intimidation, and the exclusion of pro-Agyapong monitors.
A delegate, Mark Kofi Amogbe, who showed phone recordings of his vote for Kennedy Agyapong, said, “This time around for Ken, he should be wild and deploy serious polling agents and not trust the party executives,” he added.
“Ken got 25 votes in Bunkpurugu, but the votes were not counted.”
Mr Agyapong, who has positioned himself as a reformist voice within the NPP, listened intently as the delegates laid out their evidence, nodding in acknowledgment of their frustration.
“They would come to you, telling you we are your brothers, vote for us, but I want to ask you: looking at the conditions of your roads, do you have brothers here? When it comes to development, are you not part of Ghana? Why must your roads be in this state, yet they claim to be your brothers? This time, I’m also watching.”
Kennedy’s campaign has increasingly focused on northern outreach, following similar stops in Walewale and Yunyoo, where he urged delegates to allocate him a fair share of votes despite regional loyalties to Bawumia.
The former MP’s tour underscores persistent divisions from the primaries, which pitted establishment figures like Bawumia against more populist challengers like Agyapong, whose grassroots appeal resonated in areas like the Central and Volta regions but faltered in the north.
In response to the allegations, the Bunkpurugu Constituency Executive Committee issued a firm denial through its secretary, Moses Bumbom.
The statement, released late Thursday, rejected any notion of electoral malpractice, insisting that the primaries adhered strictly to party protocols supervised by the Electoral Commission. It further described the claims as not only false and misleading but also maliciously intended to damage the integrity of both the constituency and regional executives.
Officials emphasized that vote counts were transparent, with observers from all aspirants present, and attributed Mr Agyapong’s poor showing to a lack of local mobilization rather than interference. They called on aggrieved members to channel concerns through official party channels instead of public spectacles that could undermine unity.
The statement also accused the individuals of having collected money from Kennedy Agyapong’s team but failing to vote for him and now making the false allegations to cover up their own dishonesty and betrayal.
“In view of the gravity of the matter, the Constituency Executive will convene an emergency meeting to refer the said individuals to the Party’s Disciplinary Committee for investigation and appropriate sanctions in accordance with the party’s constitution.”
The confrontation highlights deeper fractures in the NPP, which suffered a stinging defeat in the December 2024 general elections, where Dr Bawumia lost to President John Mahama of the National Democratic Congress.
Experts point to the primaries’ fallout as a key factor in the party’s underwhelming voter turnout, with many Agyapong supporters feeling alienated by perceived favoritism toward Dr Bawumia.
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