Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, a leading contender in Ghana’s opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer race, has launched what his campaign describes as an “Anti-Election Rigging Response Squad” in an effort to safeguard the integrity of the party’s upcoming presidential primary.
The squad, according to Agyapong’s campaign officials, has been deployed across all 276 constituencies nationwide. The initiative reflects deepening concerns within the Agyapong camp over alleged attempts to influence the outcome of the January 31, 2026, internal vote in favor of rival candidates.
“There are credible concerns of possible manipulation,” said Joojo Rocky Obeng, Director of Elections for the Agyapong campaign. “This Response Team has one mandate: to protect the ballot and ensure a transparent process. If the election is free and fair, we are confident Hon. Ken Agyapong will emerge victorious.”
The move underscores the growing intensity of the NPP’s internal contest, as five high-profile candidates vie to succeed President Nana Akufo-Addo as party leader and likely presidential nominee for the 2028 general elections.
The current field includes:
Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Ghana’s former Vice President and the party’s 2024 presidential candidate
Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, Member of Parliament for Assin Central
Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, former Minister of Education
Dr. Bryan Acheampong, former Agriculture Minister
Kwabena Agyapong, former General Secretary of the NPP
The Agyapong campaign claims that several Ghanaian prophets have predicted his win—provided the election is conducted under fair conditions. These spiritual endorsements have fueled the campaign’s insistence on heightened vigilance.
“Hon. Agyapong has sent a clear message to all stakeholders: no rigging will be tolerated,” Obeng said. “This task force is an enforcement mechanism of that warning.”
A spokesperson for the party’s national leadership declined to comment on the Agyapong campaign’s claims or the creation of the anti-rigging squad.
The primary vote will determine who leads the center-right party into the 2028 race, following its narrow defeat in the 2024 general election.
