Former Education Minister Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum has vowed to run a clean, issues-focused campaign as he officially entered the race to become the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) presidential candidate for the 2026 general elections.
Dr. Adutwum, who also serves as the Member of Parliament for Bosomtwe, filed his nomination papers at the party’s headquarters in Accra on Thursday, positioning himself among a growing field of high-profile contenders vying to lead Ghana’s ruling party.
“I come to this process with humility,” he said following the submission. “I am going to run a very clean campaign, one that will talk about what I have done and what I will do—for my party and for my nation. A campaign without acrimony, without insults, and full of respect.”
Dr. Adutwum joins a competitive lineup that includes former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, former Assin Central MP Kennedy Agyapong, former NPP General Secretary Kwabena Agyapong, and Abetifi MP and Minister for Agriculture Bryan Acheampong.
The NPP’s flagbearer election, scheduled for January 31, 2026, is expected to be closely watched as the party seeks a candidate capable of uniting its base and presenting a credible alternative to the opposition in the next national election.
The campaign season, however, has already encountered early signs of internal friction. Francis Addai-Nimoh, a former MP and previous presidential aspirant, withdrew from the race earlier this week, citing what he described as “unhealthy monetisation,” internal bias, and poor timing—raising questions about the fairness and integrity of the process.
Despite the challenges, Dr. Adutwum’s entry adds a policy-focused voice to the race, emphasizing unity and civility in what is shaping up to be one of the most consequential leadership contests in the NPP’s recent history.
