Kennedy Agyapong's Campaign Team Claims Victory Based on Six-Region Delegate Lead

A key figure in Kennedy Agyapong's campaign for the New Patriotic Party leadership has declared victory ahead of the party's primaries, citing commanding support in regions that hold the majority of party delegates.

Joojo Rocky Obeng, former Western North Regional Minister and Director of Elections for Agyapong's campaign, told Asempa FM on Wednesday that his candidate leads in six regions, accounting for approximately 70% of NPP delegates. The bold prediction comes three weeks before party members vote on January 31, 2026, to select their flagbearer for future elections.

Obeng's confidence rests on Agyapong's reported strength in six critical regions: Volta, Greater Accra, Central, Western, Eastern, and Ashanti. According to the campaign director, these areas collectively comprise the overwhelming majority of delegates who will decide the party's leadership.

"Anyone who understands how delegate elections work in the NPP knows that Ken has already won this election. The majority of delegates are concentrated in these six regions, and Ken is leading in all of them," Obeng stated.

He argued that controlling these delegate-rich regions effectively secures victory in the NPP's internal electoral system. "These regions account for about 70% of the total delegates in the NPP, so if you control them, you have effectively won the race," the campaign director added.

Obeng drew parallels with international elections to support his argument that ground-level delegate support matters more than polling predictions. He referenced the 2022 Kenyan presidential election, where William Ruto defeated Raila Odinga despite multiple polling organizations, including InfoTrack, forecasting an Odinga victory.

"Before InfoTrack predicted that you would win an election, it generally meant you were close to winning. In the Kenyan case, InfoTrack and other polling organizations gave Odinga a larger share of the vote. They predicted that Ruto would only secure 41%, with Odinga getting the bulk of the vote," Obeng explained.

The campaign director suggested that polling methodology may not accurately capture delegate preferences in internal party elections. He noted that some NPP delegates have questioned how polls are conducted without directly consulting them.

"I've had instances where delegates have questioned how the polls are being conducted without affecting them. When you look at our electoral area, and even ask those in the next electoral area, no one has come to speak with us," Obeng remarked, adding that while scientific polling methods exist, they carry inherent risks of failure.

Obeng revisited the previous NPP flagbearer contest in 2023, when Agyapong competed against Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, who ultimately won and became the party's presidential candidate for the 2024 general elections.

The 2023 race proved highly competitive, with Agyapong securing over 17,000 votes compared to Bawumia's approximately 19,000 votes in the Greater Accra region alone—a margin of roughly 2,000 votes.

"The 2023 election showed just how competitive the NPP flagbearer race can be. Despite facing significant opposition, Kennedy Agyapong was only 2,000 votes behind in Greater Accra, which is a critical region for delegates," Obeng commented.

The campaign director noted that Agyapong faced considerable pressure during that contest, including from the then-government, but still managed a strong showing that demonstrated his grassroots appeal within the party.

The NPP primaries scheduled for January 31 feature five candidates officially contesting for the party's flagbearership ahead of the 2028 general elections. While Obeng's statements focus on Agyapong's prospects, the multi-candidate field means delegates will choose among several options.

The competition reflects internal debates within Ghana's main opposition party about direction, leadership style, and electoral strategy following the NPP's loss of both the presidency and parliamentary majority in 2024.

Internal party democracy in Ghana's major political parties serves as an important indicator of democratic health in West Africa, a region grappling with democratic backsliding in several countries.

The NPP's leadership selection process will influence not only the party's future but also Ghana's political dynamics as the country navigates its role as a democratic anchor in an increasingly unstable region.

For international observers and regional partners, Ghana's ability to conduct transparent internal party processes and manage political transitions peacefully carries significance beyond its borders. The country's democratic stability provides a counternarrative to authoritarian trends elsewhere in West Africa.

Political analysts typically caution against premature victory declarations in internal party contests, noting that delegate preferences can shift and that campaign predictions don't always align with voting outcomes.

The comparison to Kenya's 2022 presidential election, while illustrative of polling limitations, involves different electoral contexts—a national general election versus an internal party primary with a defined delegate base.

Delegate elections within political parties often involve complex dynamics, including regional loyalties, patronage networks, personal relationships, and policy preferences that may not be fully captured by either polling or regional strength alone.

The NPP will conduct its presidential primaries on January 31, 2026, when party delegates across Ghana's regions will cast votes to determine their leader and flagbearer.

Between now and voting day, candidates will continue campaigning across regions, making their case to delegates and seeking to consolidate support. The outcome will shape the NPP's identity and electoral strategy as it rebuilds following its 2024 electoral defeat.

The winner will not only lead the party but also become its standard-bearer for future national elections, making this internal contest crucial for Ghana's broader political landscape and the competition between the country's two dominant parties. DISCLAIMER: This article is for informational purposes only. Views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official position of The Source News Ghana. Report errors: markossourcegroup@gmail.com