The National Council of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has temporarily suspended the presidential bid of Kwabena Agyei Agyepong for failing to meet one of the key requirements for the party’s upcoming presidential primary scheduled for January 31, 2025.
Sources close to the party told Graphic Online that unlike the other four aspirants—Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, Dr. Bryan Acheampong, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, and Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum—Mr. Agyepong was not fully cleared by the Vetting Committee due to his incomplete payment of a mandatory GH¢4 million development fee.
While the other candidates were approved by the Vetting Committee and had their recommendations submitted to the National Council on Tuesday, Mr. Agyepong has been given additional time to comply with the financial requirement.
Despite the pending issue, the party has invited all five aspirants to participate in the balloting exercise on Friday, October 10, 2025, at the NPP headquarters in Asylum Down, Accra. The invitation letter, dated October 7 and signed by the Secretary to the Presidential Elections Committee, William Yamoah, congratulated the aspirants for successfully going through vetting and urged them to uphold the party’s democratic values during the process.
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Mr. Agyepong’s campaign team has declined to comment publicly, saying the matter is an internal party issue currently being addressed.
According to the NPP’s presidential primary guidelines, aspirants are required to pay a GH¢100,000 nomination fee and a GH¢500,000 filing fee, in addition to the GH¢4 million development fee, payable by banker’s draft to the party’s national headquarters. The party has clarified that the development fee is not necessarily expected to come directly from the aspirant’s personal funds but can be raised through supporter contributions.
Sources within the party confirmed that the issue of Mr. Agyepong’s unpaid development fee was discussed at Tuesday’s National Council meeting following a recommendation by the Vetting Committee. He is said to have assured the Council that the matter will be resolved soon, prompting the Council’s decision to temporarily hold his bid in abeyance.
Party officials have so far declined to comment on the matter publicly, describing it as an internal process.
Under NPP rules and the party’s constitution, any aspirant dissatisfied with a vetting outcome has the right to appeal in writing to the National Executive Committee within 48 hours of receiving notice of any adverse findings.
The National Council meeting considered recommendations from the 10-member Presidential Vetting Committee, chaired by Dr. Kwame Addo Kufuor, a former Defence Minister and MP for Manhyia. The committee’s report was based on the NPP constitution, its electoral regulations, and the relevant provisions of Articles 63 and 94 of the 1992 Constitution.
Story By: Afia Ohenewaa Akyerem