Newly elected National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), John Boadu, has emphasized the need for the party to persuade former Finance Minister and Karaga MP, Mohammed Amin Adam, to contest the 2028 parliamentary election. According to Mr Boadu, Dr Amin Adam's electoral strength is already evident, making it unnecessary for the party to subject him to another competitive parliamentary primary. He believes losing Dr Amin Adam as its candidate could cost the NPP the Karaga parliamentary seat in 2028.
Mr Boadu made these comments in an interview on Adom FM Dwaso Nsem, highlighting the importance of strategic decision-making in selecting parliamentary candidates. He explained that in cases involving candidates with a proven record of winning their constituencies, the party must be prepared to take strategic decisions to protect such seats. “So such a person, we don’t need research; we even have to beg him to contest again,” he said.
The NPP National Chairman argued that holding a primary in a constituency with a proven candidate like Dr Amin Adam could divert resources that would otherwise be needed for the main election. “We don’t even have to hold primaries because at the end of the day, resources that can be used to prosecute the general elections will be spent on the primaries, and he will have no money for the main election,” he said.
Mr Boadu cited the Damongo constituency, where NPP MP Samuel Abu Jinapor has won the seat twice, as another example of constituencies the party considers strategically important. His comments come after the NPP leader and presidential candidate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, announced that the party has begun identifying potential parliamentary candidates ahead of the 2028 general elections.
According to Dr Bawumia, the exercise aims to find candidates with the capacity to win parliamentary seats, rather than relying solely on the outcome of internal primaries. He noted that some aspirants may have the financial strength to win an NPP parliamentary primary but lack the support needed to win the subsequent general election.
The NPP's approach ahead of the 2028 elections will be guided by the need to protect constituencies where it already has candidates with strong electoral records. This position forms part of Mr Boadu's broader strategy to reverse the party's parliamentary fortunes after the 2024 elections, in which the NPP secured 87 of the 276 seats in Parliament.
The NPP's efforts to identify and support strong candidates are crucial in its bid to improve its chances of winning more seats in the 2028 general elections. With the party's focus on strategic decision-making, it remains to be seen how the parliamentary primaries will be conducted and which candidates will be selected to represent the NPP in the various constituencies.
Key points
- The NPP must persuade Mohammed Amin Adam to contest the 2028 parliamentary election in Karaga constituency to retain the seat.
- The party will focus on identifying candidates with strong electoral records to protect constituencies and improve its chances of winning more seats.
- The NPP will take strategic decisions to select parliamentary candidates, including potentially bypassing primaries for proven candidates.
