Kennedy Agyapong Supporters Urge Him to Contest 2024 Election as Independent Candidate

Supporters of Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) politician who finished second in the party’s 2023 presidential primaries, have called on him to consider contesting Ghana’s 2024 presidential election as an independent candidate.

The appeal followed his defeat in the NPP’s presidential contest on November 4, 2023, when Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia emerged victorious and secured the party’s mandate to lead its campaign in the December 2024 general elections.

According to a report published by The Vaultz News on December 12, 2023, the supporters launched a campaign dubbed “Ghana Needs P.H.D. 2024” to rally public backing for Agyapong and encourage him to pursue his presidential ambitions outside the NPP’s established structures.

The group reportedly made its position known during a press conference addressed by its chairperson, Kwabena Yankey. Members expressed confidence in Agyapong’s leadership qualities and argued that his experience in business, employment creation and infrastructure development made him a suitable candidate to lead the country.

Their campaign represented an effort by some of the defeated aspirant’s supporters to keep his presidential ambitions alive despite the outcome of the party’s internal election.

Agyapong Records Strong Performance in NPP Primaries

Agyapong’s supporters had reason to point to his performance in the primaries, where he secured a substantial share of the votes cast by delegates.

Figures reported by the Ghana News Agency indicated that he received 71,996 votes, representing 37.41 per cent of the valid ballots.

However, Bawumia won the contest with 118,210 votes, giving him the NPP’s presidential nomination for the 2024 general election.

The results established Bawumia as the party’s chosen candidate, while Agyapong’s second-place finish demonstrated that he had attracted considerable support within the NPP.

For those backing Agyapong, the result did not diminish their belief that he could offer an alternative leadership direction for Ghana. Their campaign sought to transform that confidence into a broader national movement.

What the “Ghana Needs P.H.D. 2024” Campaign Represents

The campaign name became the rallying point for supporters seeking to persuade Agyapong to pursue the presidency independently.

By calling for an independent candidacy, the group proposed a path that would allow him to seek the presidency without relying on the NPP’s official nomination process.

Such a decision, however, would carry significant political implications. An independent candidate would need to build a campaign structure capable of reaching voters nationwide, mobilise resources and persuade the electorate to support a candidate outside the major political parties.

The proposal also raised questions about the future relationship between Agyapong and the NPP, particularly as the party prepared to campaign behind Bawumia.

Nevertheless, the supporters’ public appeal should not be mistaken for a decision by Agyapong himself.

Although the group expressed enthusiasm for an independent presidential bid, the campaign’s launch did not establish that Agyapong had accepted the proposal or intended to leave the NPP.

His personal position remained a separate matter from the aspirations of those campaigning on his behalf.

The development highlighted differing opinions among sections of the party’s support base following the primaries and demonstrated the determination of some Agyapong loyalists to keep his political future under discussion.

Ultimately, any independent bid would depend on Agyapong’s own decision and his willingness to pursue a separate electoral strategy.

The campaign therefore marked an attempt by his supporters to influence the next stage of his political journey, rather than confirmation that he would contest the 2024 election outside the NPP.

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