Former National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Peter Mac Manu, has issued a strongly worded disclaimer rejecting reports that he has endor
Former National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Peter Mac Manu, has issued a strongly worded disclaimer rejecting reports that he has endorsed presidential aspiration of Kennedy Ohene Agyapong.
The clarification comes at a time when internal alignments within the party are once again shaping political narratives ahead of the upcoming flagbearer contest.
In a press release dated 29th November, 2025, Mac Manu described the reports as deliberate misinformation, stressing that he has neither publicly nor privately joined Kennedy Agyapong’s campaign.
“I have not endorsed and/or joined the campaign of Kennedy Ohene Agyapong,” he stated.
“I urge the public to completely disregard the deliberate misinformation.” He signed off the statement in his capacity as a former National Chairman of the NPP.
The development has triggered renewed scrutiny of the NPP’s internal political dynamics, particularly around how endorsements—real or perceived—are used to influence the momentum of various aspirants.
In recent weeks, supporters of Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia have publicly expressed concern over what they describe as an emerging trend: that anytime a senior party figure is associated with a candidate other than Dr. Bawumia, claims quickly arise that the individual has defected from the former Vice President’s camp.
This followed reports that two prominent NPP figures—Dr. K.K. Sarpong and Lord Commey—had thrown their support behind Kennedy Agyapong’s campaign.
According to some political commentators sympathetic to the Vice President, these endorsements were being exaggerated to create the impression that Dr. Bawumia’s campaign was losing critical backing.
However, a closer look at the party’s recent history paints a different picture. In the 2023 presidential primaries, Dr. K.K. Sarpong did not support Dr. Bawumia.
He, together with his wife, Asokwa MP, Patricia Appiagyei, aligned with Alan Kyerematen during the first round. When Kyerematen eventually exited the party, they did not move to join Bawumia’s camp. Party strategists argue that the narrative claiming Dr. Sarpong has defected from the Vice President’s team is therefore inaccurate.
Similarly, Lord Commey—former Director of Operations at the Presidency—did not publicly declare support for any candidate during the 2023 primaries.
He remained aligned with former President Akufo-Addo, who maintained strict neutrality throughout the contest.
Although there had been speculation that Lord Commey was leaning toward Dr. Bawumia due to the affiliations of some of his colleagues, his recent decision to officially back Kennedy Agyapong is being interpreted by party insiders as a further indication that Akufo-Addo has not influenced the choices of his long-time loyalists.
Indeed, the President’s close associates are scattered across multiple camps: Presidential spokesperson Fatimatu Abubakar, lawyer Kow Essuman, and publicist Jefferson Sackey are reportedly aligned with Dr. Bawumia; while former Presidential staffer Charles Nii Teiko Tagoe has been actively supporting Dr. Bryan Acheampong.
These patterns demonstrate that loyalty to the President is not translating into uniform political alignment in the flagbearer race.
Sources within the former Vice President’s campaign maintain that the recent endorsements will have little impact on Dr. Bawumia’s chances.
They argue that he performed strongly in the 2023 primaries without support from many of these high-profile figures—with the exception of Tagoe—and that grassroots mobilization, rather than elite endorsements, continues to be the backbone of his campaign.
Campaign coordinators also emphasize that new supporters from previously opposing camps are joining the Dr Mahamudu Bawumia team daily, although they avoid publicizing these shifts.
According to them, the former Vice President’s campaign rejects the “politics of eye service,” preferring steady, quiet consolidation over headline-driven endorsements.
With just 62 days left before delegates vote, the Bawumia camp remains confident that the former Vice President will secure the party’s mandate.
They insist he is best positioned to unite the party after the primaries and lead the NPP to victory in the 2028 general election.
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