…..Money mentioned
Former New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential aspirant, Kennedy Agyapong, has made remarks that have unsettled members of the public and party supporters.
Some observers, believe he was reacting to comments made by the NPP’s Bono Regional Chairman, Kwame Baffoe, popularly known as “Abronye,” allegedly related to money.
Addressing party supporters in Berekum, Bono Region, during the ongoing “Thank You Tour” led by former Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, Mr Agyapong, made statements that not only cast him in a negative light, but also distracted from the very purpose of the tour, which national executives are undertaking.
The tour was launched to promote peace and unity within the party, following its humiliating defeat in the 2024 presidential and parliamentary elections.
However, the former lawmaker for Assin Central in theCentral Region, who appeared visibly enraged during his speech, claimed that certain loud individuals in the party, had only found their voices, because the party had made them wealthy.
The event turned into a spectacle, as a video circulating on social media captured Mr Agyapong in a heated exchange with Abronye.
The footage shows a visibly agitated Agyapong, and what was intended to be a unifying exercise instead devolved into what some are calling a public “showdown”.
He lashed out, saying some individuals would have remained nobodies were it not for the NPP, labelling them beggars and recipients of car gifts, in stark contrast to himself, someone who, in his words, had earned his own wealth.
His remarks were unmistakably aimed at Abronye, who had addressed the gathering earlier. During a group photo session, Agyapong was seen furiously pointing at Abronye and had to be restrained multiple times, with onlookers suggesting he would have physically assaulted the regional chairman if not held back.
There are widespread allegations that Abronye received significant money from Agyapong in the lead-up to the party’s presidential primaries but failed to deliver expected support. Although Agyapong won the Bono, Volta and Oti regions, beating Dr Bawumia in those areas, with suggestions that Abronye secretly worked against him, a claim that continues to frustrate Mr Agyapong.
In his earlier speech, Abronye criticised some senior party members for making disparaging comments about the NPP and its candidates prior to the 2024 elections.
He said such actions handed the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) a perfect weapon, contributing to the NPP’s electoral downfall.
“Arrogance is what has brought us here. If you insult someone and later come and talk about unity, to me, that unity is artificial,” Abronye said.
Although, he did not mention Agyapong by name, the latter took potent offence and responded harshly.
“No one is better than the other, but because of this party, some people act like they are men. They are not men. We buy cars for some of them, and they still act ‘too known’,” Agyapong fumed.
In a further jab at Abronye and those struggling financially, Agyapong remarked, “I have money; I don’t beg. Even you, poor people, think you can talk boldly—so what about rich men like me?”
These comments have drawn strong backlash from the public, many of whom see them as an insult to Ghanaians facing economic hardship.
Meanwhile, party stalwart, Boakye Kyerematen Agyarko, has voiced serious concerns about the direction of the NPP’s ongoing “Thank You Tour”, urging a swift course correction.
In a statement issued on April 28, Mr Agyarko stated that what began as a noble effort to reignite hope, reconnect with the grassroots, and restore the party’s image has taken a worrying turn.
“What was intended to restore our party’s shine and reconnect us with the grassroots is instead unravelling into bouts of discord, blame-shifting, and internal strife. This regrettable turn of events threatens to inflict serious collateral damage on the very fabric of our party,” Agyarko stated.
He warned that if the current path continues, the growing internal divisions could erode the trust and goodwill the NPP has cultivated among the Ghanaian people. He therefore called on the party’s leadership to take immediate action to prevent the situation from escalating further.
“It is time to apply the brakes and reassess the direction of the Thank You Tour. We must pull back from what increasingly looks like an imminent collision course.”
He called for a redefined strategy that focuses on genuine reconciliation, solidarity, and meaningful engagement.
“Let us seize this moment to renew our collective resolve and ensure that the mission of the Thank You Tour is accomplished in a manner worthy of our party’s proud legacy,” he added.
However, party communications team member Eric Twum has dismissed claims of disunity, insisting that the Thank You Tour, led by Dr Bawumia, is not sowing division as alleged.
Responding to Mr Agyarko’s concerns during an appearance on Channel One TV’s Breakfast Daily on Tuesday, 29 April 2025, Mr Twum, suggested that those claiming disunity may be the very ones fomenting it.
“There is no disunity. The people who want to see disunity are probably the ones orchestrating it. I don’t see any disunity, and I will not sit here to make matters worse.”
He added, “Those who are shouting are individuals I have personal issues with because most of what they do is not based on principles.
“Some are now calling for amnesty to be granted to certain people, yet these same individuals were the architects of their suspension. Now, all of a sudden, because Bawumia is on a Thank You Tour, they’ve found their voices. Everyone is overly excited, claiming something untoward is happening—there’s nothing untoward happening anywhere,” he said.