Akufo-Addo, Akyem power brokers may back Bryan Acheampong if Bawumia loses 2028 bid – Odike

Founder of the Union Government, Kwasi Addai Odike, has alleged that former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and influential figures within the Akyem political bloc could abandon the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) presidential candidate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, should he fail to win the 2028 general elections.

According to Mr Odike, internal dynamics within the NPP are likely to shift significantly after 2028, with Akyem elites positioning former Minister for Food and Agriculture, Dr Bryan Acheampong, as their preferred alternative should Dr Bawumia’s presidential bid falter.

He claimed that Dr Acheampong, who placed third in the party’s recent presidential primaries with 36,303 votes, representing 18.53 per cent, is being strategically groomed to take over the party’s leadership mantle.

“If Dr Bawumia fails to win power in 2028, he will be sidelined in favour of Bryan Acheampong by the Akyem power brokers,” Mr Odike alleged.

Speaking on Adom FM’s morning show on Wednesday, 4 February, Mr Odike further accused the party’s leadership of orchestrating the primaries in favour of Dr Bawumia, whom he described as the establishment candidate supported by the Akufo-Addo administration.

He also claimed that Dr Acheampong’s participation in the primaries was intended to weaken the influence and popularity of Ken Agyapong within the party ahead of future contests.

Mr Odike’s remarks have added to ongoing debates over succession politics within the NPP, as party members weigh issues of loyalty, internal cohesion, and electoral appeal in the post-Akufo-Addo era. Despite his criticisms, he commended the party for conducting a largely peaceful and violence-free primary.

However, former Bantama MP and former Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Dr Henry Kwabena Kokofu, dismissed the allegations, describing them as unfounded.

He called on the party’s leadership and grassroots supporters to prioritise unity and organisational rebuilding ahead of the 2028 elections.

“Our focus must be on strengthening the party from the polling station level to the national level,” Dr Kokofu said, while commending the police and the elections committee for the smooth conduct of the primaries.