Financial economist and academic, Dr Razak Kojo Opoku, has said the decision by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to make its presidential candidate the leader of the party places a greater responsibility on Dr Mahamudu Bawumia ahead of the 2028 general election.
According to Dr Opoku, the constitutional amendment restoring the NPP flagbearer as the party’s leader is appropriate, particularly given that Dr Bawumia is elected as the party’s presidential candidate well ahead of the 2028 elections.
He argued that the combination of the two positions — presidential candidate and party leader — means Dr Bawumia must take full responsibility for the party’s performance in the next general election.
“Making Dr. Bawumia the LEADER of the Party is perfectly in order,” Dr Opoku wrote in a commentary on the development.
He added that should the NPP fail to win the 2028 election, the party should not entertain excuses or attempts to shift responsibility.
“After the 2028 general election, no excuses or blame-shifting should be accepted if unlikely he loses the general election,” he stated.
Dr Opoku’s comments followed the approval of 14 constitutional amendments by NPP delegates at the party’s National Delegates Conference held at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi on Saturday, October 3, 2026.
One of the most significant amendments changed the provision governing who serves as the leader of the party.
Under an arrangement introduced at the NPP’s January 31, 2026 conference, the National Chairman was designated as the leader of the party at all material times.
The latest amendment reverses that position and provides that when the NPP has an elected presidential candidate, the presidential candidate shall be the leader of the party. The approved provisions also clarify the party’s leadership structure when the NPP is in government, with the President serving as party leader until a new presidential candidate is elected.
The change has effectively placed Dr Bawumia at the centre of the NPP’s political and organisational structure as the party prepares for the 2028 general election.
Dr Opoku said the decision reflects the confidence delegates have placed in the former Vice President, noting that the NPP has given him substantial time to prepare for the next presidential contest.
“The NPP Delegates have shown great confidence in Dr. Bawumia by electing him three years ahead of the 2028 general election, as well as making him the LEADER of the Party,” he said.
He further argued that the current arrangement creates a clear line of accountability within the party, with the presidential candidate expected to provide leadership as the NPP reorganises and prepares for the next election.
“No Presidential Candidate of the NPP has ever enjoyed these two critical privileges,” Dr Opoku stated.
His comments come against the backdrop of a major restructuring of the NPP’s leadership and organisational framework following the approval of the constitutional amendments.
In addition to the leadership provision, delegates approved changes to the manner in which national vice-chairpersons are elected.
Under the previous arrangement, candidates contested the position of National First Vice Chairman, with the first, second and third vice-chairpersons determined according to the number of votes received.
The amended arrangement allows candidates to declare and contest specific vice-chairperson positions. Delegates also approved the appointment of three additional vice-chairpersons who will not be subjected to elections.
Other approved changes include the creation of Deputy Communications Officer positions and the elevation of the Information Technology Officer to an executive position.
The constitutional review was conducted as part of the NPP’s National Delegates Conference, which also featured elections for new national executives.
A total of 7,163 delegates from the 16 regions participated in the conference, with the Electoral Commission supervising the voting process for the national executive positions.
The approval of the amendments came after an initial attempt to defer the constitutional review. Acting National Chairman Joseph Danquah Smith had earlier proposed postponing consideration of the amendments, citing time constraints and concerns that delegates would not have sufficient time to properly deliberate on the proposals while also participating in the national executive elections.
The party, however, proceeded with the constitutional review, resulting in the approval of all 14 motions submitted by the Constitution Amendment Committee.
For Dr Opoku, the constitutional change should therefore be viewed alongside the responsibility now attached to Dr Bawumia’s leadership.
“Leadership comes with the greatest accountability and responsibility,” he said.
He subsequently called on members of the NPP to support the party’s leader as it prepares for the 2028 contest.
“All members of NPP need to show maximum support to Dr. Bawumia, the LEADER of the Party,” he added.
The new arrangement is expected to shape the relationship between the NPP’s national executive, its parliamentary caucus and its presidential campaign structure as the party works towards the 2028 general election.
It also places greater emphasis on coordination between the party’s organisational leadership and Dr Bawumia’s presidential campaign.
The amendment has already generated discussion beyond the NPP, with the People’s National Convention (PNC) cautioning against making the presidential candidate the automatic leader of the party while it is in opposition.
The PNC argued that such an arrangement could affect internal democratic processes and opportunities for new leadership to emerge.
The NPP’s constitutional changes will consequently form an important part of the party’s internal reorganisation as it moves from the October 2026 national executive elections towards its preparations for the 2028 presidential and parliamentary elections.
By 1960news.com
