Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, the former Majority Leader and former Member of Parliament for Suame, has said he is not in any competition with the NPP’s 2024 running mate, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh (NAPO).
The former Majority Leader dismissed speculation that he is seeking to become the running mate of the NPP’s 2028 presidential candidate, former Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.
According to Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, he played a pivotal role in the selection of Dr Opoku Prempeh as Dr Bawumia’s running mate ahead of the 2024 presidential election.
Speaking in an interview with Oyerpa TV, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu stated, “I am not in competition with NAPO over the running mate position, so I do not understand those making such claims. I have even said before that I held his hand and took him to Dr Bawumia”.
“In 2022, I advised Bawumia to select NAPO as his running mate. NAPO was not even aware of it. So how would I be in competition with him?” he questioned.
“I am not in any competition because nobody campaigns for the running mate position. It is the presidential candidate who, in his wisdom, chooses the person he believes is best suited for the role,” he added.
Meanwhile, some NPP Members of Parliament have endorsed the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) 2024 running mate, Matthew Opoku Prempeh, commonly known as NAPO, to be maintained as running mate in the 2028 elections.
Following the State of the Nation Address on Friday, February 27, 2026, Napo was spotted exchanging pleasantries with dignitaries in Parliament shortly after he attempted to leave Parliament. Some NPP MPs gathered around him.
The NPP MPs were heard chanting “Yɛ pɛ NAPO, NAPO na yɛ pɛ” which translates as We want Napo, Napo is the one we want”.
Nana Ayeh Asafo-Adjei, the Member of Parliament for Bosome Freho and the Member of Parliament for Old Tafo, Vincent Ekow Assafuah, along with other colleagues.
Other MP’s were also heard shouting, “No change, we want NAPO.”
In related news, Akwasi Anti Asamoah, a former Fomena Constituency Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has told the party’s flagbearer, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, that he cannot change Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh as the running mate.
The NPP man recounted how former President Akufo-Addo maintained Dr Bawumia after several unsuccessful attempts at the presidency.
According to him, Dr Bawumia needs to keep Napo as his running mate for consistency’s sake, just as Akufo-Addo did.
Akwasi Anti Asamoah detailed that Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh is the right candidate to partner with Dr Bawumia, adding that every individual has flaws.
He detailed that Napo has acknowledged his shortcomings and worked on them after the NPP’s defeat in the 2024 election.
Speaking in an interview on Angel TV, Akwasi Anti Asamoah stated, “Bawumia cannot change NAPO because he is the right candidate. Akufo-Addo contested with him as running mate three times, and they eventually won.
Now Bawumia has also been marketed and is going again, so NAPO is the best candidate to run with him,” he said.
He further added that the NPP lost the election due to the anger of NPP members and not the fault of Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh.
“The party suffered defeat because of anger, and it is not NAPO’s fault that we lost the election. He is the best person to partner with Bawumia for the presidency,” he stressed.
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