The New Patriotic Party (NPP) on December 31, 2026, elected its flagbearer for the 2028 general election in the person of former Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.

All eyes would now be on the person, the former vice president, who was the presidential candidate of the NPP in the 2024 general election, would choose as his running mate.

Former Majority Leader of Parliament, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, in an interview in 2025, disclosed what went into the choice of Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, also known as NAPO, as running mate to Dr Bawumia for the 2024 presidential election.

He indicated that as the 2024 elections approached, he, along with Dr Yaw Adutwum, Frema Osei-Opare, Joseph Osei Owusu, and others, were among those being considered for the running mate position.

However, the former Member of Parliament for Suame noted that he advised Dr Bawumia to choose NAPO due to his versatility in addressing various issues within the political space.

Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu further explained that NAPO’s ability to make meaningful contributions in Parliament, his Asante heritage, and his family ties to former President John Agyekum Kufuor were key factors in his recommendation.

'There was a serious fight between Gabby and NAPO' – Former NPP MP recounts

“Myself, Osei Owusu, Adutwum, Frema Opare, our names came up, so people thought I was hurt when NAPO was selected, but that’s not true. He knows the role I played in the selection. I felt that apart from NAPO being an Ashanti, his strength would complement Parliament. He was also versatile and multi-functional, capable of addressing various issues. I also told him [Bawumia] that there seemed to be factions in the party, the Adu Boahen and Akufo-Addo line, and the Kufuor and Alan Kyerematen line.

“He [Bawumia] was discovered by Kufuor, and Akufo-Addo made him who he is. Kufuor’s cousin’s son is NAPO, so there was that linkage. I told him [Bawumia] that if he teamed up with NAPO, they would form a strong bridge between the Akufo-Addo and Kufuor factions, and those divisions would no longer exist,” he said in Twi during an interview with UTV, shared on X on October 10, 2025.

Meanwhile, Dr Bawumia and NAPO’s presidential bid ended in disappointment after losing to the National Democratic Congress (NDC), led by President John Dramani Mahama, in the 2024 general election.

Watch the interview below:

I was instrumental in Dr. Bawumia’s selection of NAPO as his running mate - Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu#UTVGhana pic.twitter.com/aremVgU7Z2

— UTV Ghana (@utvghana) October 10, 2025