Former presidential aspirant and Member of Parliament for Abetifi, Dr. Bryan Acheampong, has appealed to members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to put aside their differences and unite behind the party and its flagbearer, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, ahead of the 2028 general elections.
In a statement issued on June 19, Dr. Acheampong said the party’s overriding responsibility after its defeat in the 2024 elections was to rebuild, reconcile and position itself for a return to power.
Addressing recent tensions within the party, he called on former presidential aspirant Kennedy Agyapong to tone down his criticism and channel his influence towards fostering peace and cohesion.
Dr. Acheampong, who contested in the NPP’s January presidential primary but failed to secure victory, said he understood the disappointment that follows a hard-fought campaign and acknowledged the emotions involved.
He noted that some individuals associated with both Dr. Bawumia’s campaign and his own had made disrespectful remarks and directed insults at Mr. Agyapong during and after the contest, describing such conduct as inconsistent with the party’s traditions.
However, he stressed that there was no evidence that Dr. Bawumia had authorised, encouraged or endorsed the attacks, insisting that those responsible acted independently and should bear responsibility for their own actions.
According to Dr. Acheampong, it would be wrong to attribute the conduct of a few individuals to the NPP flagbearer or to the party as a whole.
He also observed that heated exchanges had occurred on all sides during the campaign and urged members to embrace reconciliation without waiting for others to make the first move.
“Dr. Bawumia is now the candidate of all of us. He carries the mandate not only of those who voted for him, but of every member who voted for Kennedy Agyapong, for me and for the other contestants,” he stated.
Dr. Acheampong appealed to supporters of both himself and Mr. Agyapong to abandon internal disputes and close ranks behind the party’s presidential candidate.
He expressed confidence that a united front would strengthen the NPP’s chances of returning to government in 2028.
“Unity is not weakness. Unity is how we win,” he said.
Dr. Acheampong is a former Minister of Food and Agriculture and was one of the contenders in the NPP’s presidential primary that elected Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia as the party’s flagbearer.
