2024 Bawumia Middle Belt Campaign Coordinator, Dr Nana Ayew Afriye
Dr Nana Ayew Afriye, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Effiduase/Asokore and the 2024 Middle Belt Campaign Coordinator for Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has predicted the likely outcome of the 2028 presidential election.
In a Facebook post dated Saturday, April 26, 2025, Dr Afriye asserted that historical trends indicate a familiar opposition candidate will likely triumph over a new candidate from the ruling party, a pattern he believes will hold in the upcoming election.
“Any new presidential candidate who emerged on the ticket of a ruling government lost it to the familiar faced opposition presidential candidate,” he wrote.
Pointing to past elections to support his claims, Dr Afriye noted that new presidential candidates from ruling parties have consistently lost to well-known opposition figures.
He cited the examples of the late President John Evans Atta Mills, who lost in 2000 as a new face on the ticket of the then-ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) to John Agyekum Kufuor of the NPP, who had contested two elections (1996 and 1992) on the ticket of the NPP, and Nana Akufo-Addo, who lost in 2008 as a fresh NPP candidate to Professor Mills who had contested twice on the ticket of the NDC.
He also referenced Dr Mahamudu Bawumia’s defeat in the 2024 election, where Bawumia, a new presidential candidate for the ruling NPP, lost to the NDC’s John Mahama, a familiar face who had previously served as president from 2012 to 2017.
Dr Afriye emphasised that this historical pattern of new candidates from ruling parties losing to familiar opposition figures is unlikely to shift in 2028.
He thus urged NPP supporters, especially those within the camp of Dr Bawumia’s opponents, to ‘shine their eyes’ by building internal bridges and not engaging in personal politics.
“@NPP fanatic big up, the familiar faced opposition Prez candidate will win from precedence. Hence you in another camp. Wise up, build bridges internally, don’t get too personal & leave an exit window…the narrative won’t change,” he stated.
Dr Afriye also dismissed claims that the Chief Justice or the Electoral Commission (EC) could significantly influence election outcomes, noting that the NPP had both institutions in its favour in 2024, yet still lost.
He predicted a pending defeat for the NDC in 2028 and called on supporters of the ruling party to also ‘shine their eyes’ by focusing on building friendships and bridges while building their capacity.
“The CJ & EC ain’t the issue. Arguably, NPP had the CJ & EC yet, NPP lost it. @NDC fanatic big up, build your friendship and bridges plus grow yourself, 2028 won’t be a different story…SHINE your eye!” Dr Afriye stated.
Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and the NPP lost the 2024 election to the NDC, a result that has led the party to embark on an ongoing reorganisation and rebuilding campaign.
Meanwhile, there is a growing campaign for Dr Bawumia to be maintained as the party’s flagbearer for the 2028 presidential election, although competition within the party continues to rise.
GA/MA