Barely two weeks before the New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential primaries, indications are emerging that Dr. Bryan Acheampong may resign from the flagbearer contest following mounting pressure over his alleged involvement in the protracted Kwahu chieftaincy dispute in the Eastern Region.
A pressure group calling itself Concerned Residents of Kwahu has intensified calls for Dr. Acheampong to step aside, accusing him of allegedly sponsoring and orchestrating actions that have prolonged tensions in the Kwahu Traditional Area. The group claims that Dr. Acheampong’s alleged interference in local chieftaincy matters has not only destabilized the region but also risks alienating the party’s core support in Kwahu—a longstanding NPP stronghold since 1992.
The demand follows remarks by Opare Ansah, a senior NPP member, who alleged that Dr. Acheampong once threatened to boycott party campaign activities in the Eastern Region during the 2024 elections over disagreements involving the Kwahumanhene, Daasebre Akuamoah Agyepong II. Ansah said in an interview on Asempa FM that Dr. Acheampong warned party officials against visiting the Kwahumanhene during a campaign tour, a move that created internal tension within the party at the time.
Convener of the Concerned Residents of Kwahu, Owusu Nketiah, said the recent revelations confirm long-held suspicions that Dr. Acheampong played a central role in a failed attempt to destool the Kwahumanhene. “Such a person cannot be entrusted with leading a national party,” Nketiah said, stressing that unity and respect for traditional authority are essential qualities for political leadership.
The group warned that failure to address the concerns of Kwahu residents could result in the NPP losing significant electoral support in the area, potentially jeopardizing its performance in upcoming elections.
Dr. Acheampong, who is contesting the NPP flagbearership alongside former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Kennedy Ohene Agyepong, Ing. Kwabena Agyepong, and Dr. Osei Adutwum, has not yet issued a response to the calls for his withdrawal. Political analysts suggest that if the pressure persists, a resignation could be imminent, reshaping the dynamics of the NPP primaries.
The Kwahu chieftaincy dispute involves the lawful enstoolment of Daasebre Akuamoah Agyepong II in 2017 and a contested attempt to replace him with Baffuor Akoto Osei in January 2025. The Judicial Committee of the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs granted an injunction restraining interference with Daasebre Akuamoah Agyepong II, and the police later restored him to the Abene Palace.
Observers now speculate that Dr. Acheampong’s political future may be directly affected by the ongoing fallout from the dispute.
