It Will Be Politically Suicidal for the NPP to Change NAPO as Running Mate-Analysis
As the New Patriotic Party (NPP) prepares for the 2028 general elections, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, popularly known as NAPO, brings ministerial experience, parliamentary credentials and an established working relationship with flagbearer Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.
Supporters of his renomination argue that replacing him without a compelling strategic justification could be a costly political miscalculation, particularly when the party could build on the experience gained during the 2024 presidential campaign.
On July 4, 2024, the NPP’s National Council endorsed NAPO as Dr. Bawumia’s running mate. Although the ticket lost the election, that outcome does not automatically erase NAPO’s experience or invalidate his record in government.
A Record in Education and Energy
As Minister for Education from 2017 to 2021, NAPO played a central role in implementing the Free Senior High School programme, which significantly expanded access to secondary education. Student enrolment rose from approximately 800,000 to more than 1.2 million during the period, alongside reforms in curriculum delivery, teacher licensing and technical and vocational education.
He was adjudged Ghana’s Best Minister in 2017 and 2019 and received the Harvard Ministerial Medal of Achievement in 2020, according to the profile of his public service record.
His experience extended into the energy sector, where he served as Minister for Energy from 2021 to 2024. His portfolio included efforts to improve electricity supply, renegotiate power purchase agreements, expand rural electrification and promote cleaner cooking through the Cylinder Manufacturing Company. He also championed the Petroleum Hub initiative and the Energy Sector Recovery Programme, aimed at addressing challenges in the energy sector.
These responsibilities exposed him to two critical pillars of national development: human capital and energy security.
NAPO also served four terms as Member of Parliament for Manhyia South, winning 87.17 per cent of the vote in the constituency in 2016. A medical doctor by profession, he has also undertaken academic training at Harvard and holds credentials associated with the Royal College of Physicians in the United Kingdom.
Why Continuity Matters
For advocates of retaining NAPO, the argument extends beyond party loyalty. He has already campaigned alongside Dr. Bawumia at the highest level, understands the demands of a presidential ticket and has experience engaging party structures and national audiences.
The NPP must, however, draw the right lessons from its 2024 defeat. That requires examining campaign organisation, policy communication, grassroots mobilisation and the wider factors behind the electoral outcome, rather than assuming that changing the running mate alone would resolve the party’s challenges.
Ultimately, the choice belongs to Dr. Bawumia and the party’s decision-making structures. But NAPO’s record in education, energy and Parliament provides a substantial basis for his continued consideration.
For those advocating continuity, the central argument is clear: changing NAPO without a compelling strategic justification could carry significant political risks. The NPP’s task is to learn from 2024 and determine whether retaining an experienced partner offers greater strategic value than starting afresh.
