Miracles Aboagye, an aide to the NPP flagbearer, has said all aspirants in the NPP 2026 presidential race could be running mates to Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.
According to Miracles Aboagye, finishing second in the contest does not form part of the criteria for selecting a vice-presidential candidate.
His comments follow speculation that Dr Bryan Acheampong’s strong performance in the New Patriotic Party (NPP)’s flagbearer contest could place him in pole position for the running mate slot.
Speaking on Channel1 TV on Sunday, February 2026, Miracles Aboagye detailed the NPP’s criteria for selecting a running mate.
Miracles Aboagyeexplained, “The selection of the mate is purely the prerogative of the candidate in consultation with the National Council. There are several criteria that come into play. One of them does not include becoming second or third in the contest”.
“All the aspirants we ran with Dr Bawumia are people who could actually be running mates, but not because they ran with him and they were second or third or fourth,” he said.
He added, “It is a prerogative of the candidate in consultation with the National Council,” he said, adding that “when the time is due, the indicators will be used to ensure that the right person, the best person, is selected to run with Dr Bawumia to give us the outcome that we want as a party.”
Furthermore, reports claim Frank Annoh-Dompreh, Member of Parliament (MP) for Nsawam/Adoagyiri, is reportedly positioning himself for the vice-presidential slot ahead of the 2028 general election, should Dr Bawumia secure the party’s flagbearership.
Ghana Chronicles in a post on X stated, “Sources close to the Bawumia campaign say Mr Annoh-Dompreh has been openly critical of Dr Bawumia’s 2024 running mate, Matthew Opoku Prempeh, popularly known as NAPO, arguing that the former Energy Minister added little electoral value to the ticket in the December 2024 elections and should not be retained should Dr Bawumia secure the party’s nomination again.
The Nsawam/Adoagyiri MP is said to be touting his own credentials in support of his ambitions, citing his parliamentary seniority as a fourth-term legislator, his current role as Minority Chief Whip, and what he describes as his broad national appeal.
He has also reportedly cited his maternal Ashanti heritage, fluency in Ewe, marriage to a northern woman, Barbara, and his representation of a constituency in the Eastern Region as factors that enhance his appeal as a unifying figure within the opposition party”.
Also, Miracles Aboagye further detailed that Bryan Acheampong didn’t shake Dr Bawumia’s base, but rather split Kennedy Agyapong’s base.
He added, “We always knew that Bryan Acheampong’s entering into the race was surely going to hurt Kennedy Agyapong more than Dr Bawumia”.
When asked if Dr Acheampong’s performance shocked the Bawumia camp, he stated “No, we are not”.
Miracles Aboagye added, “The NPP has an existing system within the party. The NPP is a party of ideologies. You would always find some seven people who always think alike and move together, and act together.
“The Bawumia supporters are more static. They are a bit more stable than the other candidates. The supporters of Kennedy Agyapong were not necessarily loyalists of Kennedy Agyapong. Especially what happened in 2023 when Alan Kyerematen left, they all consolidated around him,” he said.
“So once they get another alternative in Dr Bryan Acheampong, you could see them splitting. Now, Dr Bawumia, the difference between him and the second-place person has moved to 33 per cent if you compare to 2023,” he said.