Boakye Agyarko Bows Out of NPP Flagbearer Race, Eyes National Chairmanship

Former Energy Minister, Boakye Kyeremateng Agyarko, has reportedly stepped down from the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) flagbearer contest to pursue the party’s national chairmanship position.

The revelation was made by veteran broadcaster Nana Yaw Kesseh on Peace FM’s Kokrokoo morning show on Friday, September 5, 2025. Though yet to be officially confirmed, the news is already stirring conversations within the party as it could significantly alter the dynamics of the upcoming national executive elections.

The NPP is set to elect its new national executives after the presidential primary scheduled for January 31, 2026. Currently, two party stalwarts, former General Secretary John Boadu and Ashanti Regional Chairman Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, have openly declared their intentions to contest for the chairmanship slot. Mr. Agyarko’s entry, should it materialize, will further intensify the race.

Who is Boakye Agyarko?

Boakye Kyeremateng Agyarko is a seasoned economist, politician, and former banker. He built a solid career at the Bank of New York where he rose to the rank of Vice President before venturing into active politics.

A founding member of the NPP in 1992, Agyarko has played strategic roles within the party over the years. He chaired the Danquah-Busia Club of North America, served as an NPP coordinator in the U.S., and briefly sat as a trustee of the Busia Foundation. He also managed the NPP’s 2012 presidential campaign and acted as Policy Adviser to the presidential candidate in 2016.

Following the party’s 2016 victory, he was appointed Ghana’s Minister of Energy by President Nana Akufo-Addo, a role he held until 2018. In 2023, Agyarko joined the NPP flagbearer race but lost heavily to then Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.

Regarded as one of the party’s sharpest political strategists, Agyarko’s shift to the chairmanship race is expected to heighten competition and could reshape the leadership structure of the NPP ahead of the 2028 general elections.