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The raging internal campaign gave way to vetting yesterday as the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) took another major step in the protocol towards the election of the party’s next presidential candidate on January 31, next year.
At the party’s headquarters in Accra, the five flagbearer aspirants presented themselves for the vetting processes, switching from the sometimes explosive rhetoric to a humble scrutiny.
Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, Bryan Acheampong, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum appeared before the vetting committee in that order.
The five separately discussed their respective visions for the party, the driving inspiration for their bids to lead the party, commitment to party values and principles, and issues of general discipline with the vetting committee, inside sources told the Daily Graphic.
Aside from the GH¢600,000 nomination fee made up of GH¢100,000 for the purchase of the forms and a non-refundable filing fee of GH¢500,000, each aspirant was required to pay a Development Fee of GH¢4 million, bringing the total fee per aspirant to GH¢4.6 million.
Mr Agyei Agyepong, a civil engineer and a former General Secretary of the NPP, is contesting the flagbearership of the party for the third time, having previously contested in 2007 and 2023.
Mr Ohene Agyapong, a former MP for Assin Central in the Central Region, is in the race for the second time after his maiden stint in 2023, which saw him place second to Dr Bawumia.
Mr Acheampong, a former Minister of Food and Agriculture and the NPP MP for Abetifi in the Eastern Region, is making his debut in the party’s flagbearership.
Dr Bawumia, former Vice-President and the 2024 Presidential Candidate of the NPP, is also taking a second shot at the contest after emerging as the winner of the 2023 presidential primary.
Dr Adutwum, a former Minister of Education and the sitting MP for Bosomtwe in the Ashanti Region, is contesting the NPP presidential primary for the first time.
Each of the five emerged from the vetting session with broad smiles, their body language portraying a confident outlook on the process.
The 10-member Presidential Vetting Committee, chaired by Dr Kwame Addo Kufuor, a former Defence Minister and a former Member of Parliament (MP) for Manhyia in the Ashanti Region, was to vet the five aspirants on Monday, September 15, 2025.
However, it was rescheduled to yesterday due to the late Asantehemaa’s funeral.
The committee is expected to submit its recommendation to the National Council of the party on Tuesday, September 30, 2025, through the General Secretary.
Per the party’s timetable for the conduct of the presidential primary released in August this year, the vetting process would be followed by the submission of petitions by any dissatisfied aspirant to the National Executive Committee (NEC) through the General Secretary in the first week of October.
The party said it would publish the list of the qualified presidential aspirants on Wednesday, October 8, 2025, after the vetting and appeals exercise, while balloting for positions on the ballot paper is slated for Friday, October 10, 2025, with the publication of the Notice of Poll slated for Friday, October 17, 2025.
The party’s national congress to elect the party’s flag bearer for the 2028 general election is scheduled for Saturday, January 31, 2026, while a run-off, if any, is fixed for February 14, 2026.
