NPP chairmanship race: What delegates are really saying — Apex Intelligence and Innovation Insights Survey reveals

A new nationwide survey by the Apex Intelligence and Innovation Insights has offered an early but revealing picture of delegate sentiment ahead of the New Patriotic Party’s next national chairmanship race, pointing to a contest shaped as much by performance concerns as by candidate appeal.

The study, conducted across all sixteen regions with a sample of eight hundred and seventy one party delegates, presents what the organisation describes as “a broad snapshot of leadership evaluation, candidate positioning and delegate expectations ahead of the internal contest.”

At the heart of the findings is a measured but cautious assessment of the party’s current national leadership. Delegates, according to the report, have delivered what it calls “a mixed verdict on the performance of the current national executives.” While nearly a quarter of respondents expressed satisfaction, the dominant sentiment leaned toward moderation rather than endorsement. Specifically, the report notes that “24.7 per cent rated their performance as good, the largest share, 43.8 per cent, described it as average,” while “18.1 per cent rated performance as poor and 9.6 per cent as very poor.”

The report interprets this pattern as indicative of “a leadership environment marked more by guarded acceptance than strong enthusiasm,” a condition it suggests “often creates room for change in internal party races.”

On the question of candidate strength, the survey places former Energy Minister Boakye Agyarko in an early lead, though within a competitive field. The report states that “Hon. Boakye Agyarko emerges as the leading contender with 38.2 per cent support among respondents,” followed by Bernard Antwi Boasiako, widely known as Chairman Wontumi, with “22.6 per cent,” and former General Secretary John Boadu with “21.6 per cent.”

Despite this early advantage, the organisation cautions against reading the race as settled, noting that “internal party contests can change quickly.” It adds that while Agyarko “enters this phase of the race with a measurable advantage,” the contest “remains competitive enough to demand strong organisation, coalition building and sustained outreach from all serious contenders.”

Beyond candidate preference, the survey sheds light on what delegates consider most critical in choosing the next national chairman. The findings show a clear prioritisation of grassroots engagement and practical leadership experience. According to the report, “grassroots connection ranks first at 27 per cent, followed by experience and track record at 24.1 per cent, and unifying strength at 20.8 per cent.” Other attributes such as “integrity and ethics account for 15.3 per cent, while electoral competence stands at 12.8 per cent.”

Interpreting these figures, the organisation concludes that delegates are “placing premium value on practical political capacity,” suggesting a preference for leadership that can directly engage the party base, command credibility and maintain unity in a competitive political landscape.

The report also highlights underlying regional and demographic dynamics that could influence the eventual outcome. It notes that “some candidates appear to enjoy strong support in specific regions, while others demonstrate broader appeal across several parts of the country.” Additionally, it identifies delegates aged between forty one and fifty as “the largest bloc in the sample,” indicating their potential influence in shaping the direction of the race.

These trends, the report argues, reinforce the importance of strategy, stating that “a candidate who combines a national message with strong regional networks may be better positioned to convert visibility into votes at the delegate level.”

Significantly, the survey frames the upcoming contest as more than a test of popularity. It emphasises that “the NPP chairmanship race is unlikely to be decided by name recognition alone,” arguing instead that “organisation, credibility, party unity and the ability to maintain a living relationship with the grassroots are likely to matter just as much as personal popularity or media visibility.”

In a broader political context, the organisation underscores the importance of the outcome, noting that the next national chairman will shape not only internal party cohesion but also future electoral readiness. It explains that the position will influence “organisational discipline, political messaging, mobilisation strategy and the party’s readiness for future electoral competition.”

The survey ultimately concludes that delegates are seeking a leadership reset anchored on connection, unity and strategic direction. As the report puts it, “delegates are looking for leadership that can reconnect the party to its grassroots, unify its internal ranks and provide a credible strategic direction for the years ahead.”

Fieldwork for the study was conducted between March eleven and March twenty two, twenty twenty six, using what the organisation describes as “a stratified random sample of 871 NPP delegates across the 16 regions, with a 95 per cent confidence level and a margin of error of ±4.0 per cent.”