Former Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia on Wednesday urged contenders in the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) upcoming flagbearer race to conduct their campaigns with civility and discipline, warning that internal divisions could weaken the party’s chances in Ghana’s 2028 general elections.

Speaking to a gathering of over 490 youth organizers and party activists who submitted his nomination forms ahead of the January 2026 primary, Dr. Bawumia called for a campaign centered on ideas, not insults.

“We’re not in a campaign of insults, and we should not be in a campaign of insults,” he said. “It should be about ideas. And that is what will capture the imagination of Ghanaians.”

The former Vice President emphasized that personal attacks among party aspirants could serve as ammunition for the opposition in the general election. “When we bring down other people, we bring down the party,” he cautioned. “Our messages will be taken by our opponents, and they will use them against us.”

Dr. Bawumia, widely seen as a front-runner in the NPP race, pledged to run a clean campaign and encouraged others to do the same. “You will never hear me insulting any aspirants,” he said. “Because when this election is over, we have to contest a general election. And if we divide ourselves today, we will have difficulty uniting tomorrow.”

The remarks come as the NPP prepares for a competitive internal contest to select its next presidential candidate. With several aspirants expected to vie for the flagbearer position, party leadership has expressed concern about maintaining unity and discipline during the primary season.

Dr. Bawumia called for the campaign to serve as a platform for proposing credible solutions to Ghana’s challenges, rather than a battleground for internal strife. “What ideas do we have? What are we bringing to the table? How are we going to solve the problems Ghanaians face?” he asked. “Let us begin the process with unity, and end with unity — because that is what will bring victory in 2028.”