NPP Has Not Changed NAPO As Running Mate — Dr Francis Adomako

NPP Ashanti Regional Secretary, Dr Francis Adomako, has affirmed that former Energy Minister Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, popularly known as NAPO, remains the party’s running mate for 2028.

Speaking in an interview with Kofi Boakye on Nkwantannanso on Opemsuo Radio, Dr Adomako said the NPP has maintained the same running mate since the party began its current voting cycle and there is therefore no basis for replacing NAPO.

“Our former running mate, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, is still maintained as running mate. Since we started voting, we have not changed our running mate, so we are not changing NAPO,” he said.

Dr Adomako also reflected on his recent election as Ashanti Regional Secretary, saying his long service to the NPP and the relationships he built across constituencies contributed to his victory despite attempts to discredit him during the internal contest.

He said he had served the party for about 30 years, dating back to his days as a student at KNUST, and that constituency secretaries and their assistants had encouraged him to contest for the regional secretary position because of his humility, hard work and visibility.

According to him, he initially asked them to give him time to consult his senior party figures before eventually deciding to contest.

Dr Adomako said he became concerned when a list of preferred candidates allegedly endorsed by the party’s flagbearer emerged shortly before the election.

He said the development was followed by negative propaganda against him.

“The kind of negative propaganda that comes with internal elections is disturbing, but I thank God that in all this, there were new delegates in the system. Because I had sold myself and left a mark in each particular constituency, they did not listen to what people were saying. Rather, they looked out for the person who ticked all the boxes,” he stated.

Explaining why he believed some individuals attempted to discredit him during the election, Dr Adomako said some party members were concerned that a new crop of leaders could take away influence and power they had previously enjoyed.

He said this fear led to various allegations being made against him in an attempt to prevent him from becoming the regional secretary.

“I feel that there are people who say the new administration crop of people coming, if we give them the opportunity, the things and power they had earlier, they will lose that power. So they were fighting with every vein and blood in them,” he said.

Despite the allegations and disagreements during the election, Dr Adomako said he was prepared to forgive those who opposed him, stressing that the NPP’s larger objective should remain its return to power.

“Why not? The bigger picture is to help Dr Mahamudu Bawumia become the President of the Republic of Ghana,” he said.