NPP Must Choose Its Leader Internally, Not From the Streets – Kwabena Agyepong Insists

Flagbearer hopeful of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Ing. Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, has dismissed claims that public pressure or “the streets” should determine who leads the party into the 2028 general elections, describing such arguments as propaganda that undermines party leadership and internal democracy.

Speaking in an interview on Kumasi-based Pure FM, the former General Secretary of the NPP cautioned against attempts to portray one aspirant as the automatic choice of ordinary Ghanaians, insisting that leadership selection is the responsibility of party members and not market opinion or street popularity.

According to him, the NPP is a structured political organisation with established processes for choosing its leaders, and those processes must be respected if the party hopes to remain united and credible.

“They say mechanics and market women say we should bring one candidate, but that should not be the case,” Agyepong said. 

“The party is ours, and the party must choose its candidate first. After that, we go to the people of Ghana and sell the candidate and his message.”

He questioned the basis on which some political commentators and party activists claim to know which candidate the public prefers, arguing that such claims are often speculative and designed to influence internal party decisions.

“They say we should bring the one Ghanaians are clamouring for, but how do you know this is the one Ghanaians want?” he asked. 

“We are a political party, and there is something called leadership.”

The former party executive stressed that all five aspirants in the race deserve a fair contest, free from external pressure and artificial narratives about popularity. 

According to him, allowing street sentiment to dictate party choices would weaken leadership authority and set a dangerous precedent for future elections.

“We have to contest among ourselves, and after the contest, we go to the people of Ghana with the candidate we have chosen and sell his strengths to them,” he explained. 

“If the streets decide for us, then there is no leadership.”

In a statement that quickly gained attention on social media, Agyepong used popular dancehall musician Shatta Wale to illustrate what he described as the absurdity of choosing a political candidate based purely on popularity.

“If it is about numbers and popularity, then we should go and bring Shatta Wale, because he is popular and has the numbers,” he said, drawing laughter and reactions from listeners.

The comment was widely interpreted as a warning against turning serious political leadership into a popularity contest driven by social media influence rather than competence, experience, and vision.

Agyepong’s remarks come at a time when the NPP is preparing for a highly competitive flagbearership race, with several prominent figures positioning themselves to lead the party after its defeat in the 2024 general elections. 

The contest has already generated intense debate within party ranks, with different camps promoting their preferred candidates as the most marketable to the electorate.

Some supporters have argued that the party must select a candidate who appeals strongly to grassroots voters and urban youth, often referred to as “the streets,” if it hopes to reclaim power in 2028. 

However, Agyepong believes this approach risks undermining party unity and discipline.

He maintained that political leadership requires more than popularity, emphasizing the need for competence, integrity, and a clear development agenda.

“The party must lead first, then convince the people,” he said. 

“That is how strong political parties operate.”