New Patriotic Party (NPP) National Chairmanship candidate Boakye Kyerematen Agyarko has vowed that the party will not be intimidated by what he describes as attempts by the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) to target and intimidate members of the opposition.
Speaking about the political atmosphere ahead of the 2028 general elections, Mr Agyarko said the NPP would remain firm and resist any attempt to create fear among its members.
“We are not going to sit down to be bullied. Already NDC has started attacking our people, trying to intimidate everybody. Even a lawyer who is going to defend a client, they are trying to arrest,” he said.
Mr Agyarko questioned what he described as attempts to create fear within the NPP ahead of the 2028 elections.
“They want to send a signal of fear to us now that 2028 we better run. We are not going anywhere. We are standing our ground. Never again will this party be intimidated,” he added.
He also cited an incident involving Alaji Bawa, which he said illustrated the kind of political intimidation and violence he did not want to see repeated.
Mr Agyarko stressed that the NPP would not initiate confrontation but would respond if provoked.
“We will not start anything. But anyone who brings a den will realise that we will not be intimidated. That is the assurance I want to give,” he said.
Focus on 2028
Mr Agyarko said his immediate political priority is to reorganise the NPP and help former Vice-President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia win the 2028 presidential election.
He said he had little reason to pursue a political ambition beyond 2028, arguing that his primary objective is to help the party regain power.
“If I cause Dr Bawumia to lose 2028 and in the unlikely event that NDC loses 2032, the next is not 2036, it’s 2037. Add that to my age and ask yourself whether it makes sense for me to come and contest in that 2037 to become president of Ghana,” he said.
He questioned what personal benefit he would gain from undermining Dr Bawumia’s presidential ambitions.
“If I let Dr Bawumia miss this golden chance, do I automatically become president? So what is my game? What do I get out of it? I have been in opposition for a long time,” Mr Agyarko said.
“I need power and I need it now.”
According to him, his main responsibility as National Chairman would be to strengthen the party’s structures and position it to win the 2028 elections.
“2028 for me is the watermark. We have to win, or we have to win,” he said.
NPP chairmanship race
Mr Agyarko is among four candidates contesting the NPP National Chairmanship position at the party’s national executive elections scheduled for October 3, 2026.
The other candidates are former NPP General Secretary John Boadu, former National Chairman Paul Afoko and former First Vice Chairman Sammy Crabbe.
Mr Agyarko is fourth on the ballot paper.
A nationwide survey conducted by Ghana Watch Initiative International (GWII) between September 1 and 12, 2026, projected Mr Agyarko as the leading candidate in the chairmanship race.
The survey reported that he led in 13 of the 16 regions and recorded 51.81% support among its sampled constituency executives.
John Boadu recorded 32.32%, followed by Paul Afoko with 12.39% and Sammy Crabbe with 3.48%.
The researchers, led by Seth Adu-Adjei, said the survey sampled 2,098 respondents from the constituency executive structure, representing 40% of the constituency baseline of 5,244 and 29.30% of the official statutory delegate population of 7,160.
Mr Agyarko is urging delegates to give him the mandate to reorganise the NPP and build a stronger party structure ahead of the 2028 general elections.
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