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The campaign team of Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, one of five presidential aspirants in the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) flagbearer race, has stated that the choice of the No. 1 slot offers a significant marketing, public relations and visibility advantage.
The spokesperson for the Ken Agyapong campaign team, Kwasi Kwarteng, told journalists after the balloting last Friday that the number one position on the ballot paper was a “sign of victory.”
“We are not fixated on any number. But even after the balloting, number one gives us another advantage in terms of marketing, public relations, and visibility on the ballot.
These are legitimate factors we can acknowledge,” he stated.
The NPP conducted a ballot for its five presidential aspirants for the party’s January 31, 2026 presidential primary.
At the end of the balloting, Mr Agyapong took the number 1 slot; Bryan Acheampong, 2; Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, 3; Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, 4; and Ing. Kwabena Agyei Agyepong took the fifth spot.
The exercise, conducted in collaboration with officials from the Electoral Commission (EC), was aimed at ensuring transparency and fairness in the internal electoral process.
The committee expressed gratitude to all aspirants, their representatives, and EC officials for their cooperation and decorum during the event.
A statement issued by the Presidential Elections Committee reaffirmed the party’s commitment to democratic values and fairness.
“The New Patriotic Party remains steadfast in its resolve to conduct a transparent, credible and peaceful presidential primary as we prepare to elect a flagbearer for the 2026 general elections,” it said.
Mr Kwarteng described the process as fair, transparent, and symbolic of good fortune for their camp.
“It was just five candidates.
It was an open process, and the candidates had representatives who picked their own numbers,” Mr Kwarteng said.
“In terms of the people, the marketing, and the visibility of the ballots, being number one gives us a lot of advantage,” he said.
Mr Kwarteng explained that while the team is pleased with the outcome, their confidence is rooted more in their message than the number on the ballot, stressing that the focus of the team remained on communicating Kennedy Agyapong’s core message to delegates nationwide, a message centred on jobs and economic revival.
When asked about comparisons to the 2024 primary, where Mr Agyapong drew the number one spot but lost, Mr Kwarteng said the circumstances this time were completely different.
“These are two separate elections with different dynamics.
This time around, we are at number one, and that should send a strong signal that we are coming up. But the most important thing is that whatever number we choose is divine,” he said.
“We will go to the delegates, talk to them, and we are very hopeful.
Like the Bible says, the heart of the king is in the hands of the Lord.
So we are confident that God will guide this process in our favour.”
A representative of Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, Yaw Opoku Mensah, said the number four held deep symbolic significance for the aspirant, representing unity—a value he has consistently upheld throughout his political and professional journey.
He emphasised that Dr Adutwum picked up his nomination forms on a Thursday, the fourth day of the week, and subsequently drew number four on the ballot, which aligns with his birthday.
This coincidence, he said, has energized the campaign base and strengthened their faith in divine guidance throughout the process.
The team, he added, remained confident that the symbolism of four signifies divine order and unity, and that Dr Adutwum will ultimately emerge victorious as the NPP’s flagbearer for the 2028 general elections.
The campaign manager of Kwabena Agyei Agyepong’s campaign team, Ofosu Asamoa, downplayed any special significance attached to the ballot position, explaining that the numbers merely indicate candidates’ placement on the ballot paper.
However, he acknowledged that in the country’s political culture, such numbers often inspire creative campaign slogans.
Drawing from past political experiences, he said that when a candidate occupied the last spot, it sometimes inspires slogans like “Ase? h?,” meaning “at the bottom,” which is used to promote voter recall.
Mr Asamoah said Mr Agyepong’s team might adopt a similar light-hearted slogan to energise their supporters.
He emphasised that beyond the ballot position, their focus remained on engaging delegates and effectively communicating their candidate’s vision for the party and the nation.
