The former Majority Leader in Parliament, Mr Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu, has emphasised the need for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to move beyond the mere selection of a flagbearer and instead focus on presenting a formidable presidential candidate capable of winning the 2028 general elections.

Speaking in an interview that was aired on Accra 100.5 FM's midday news on Tuesday, July 22, Mr Kyei Mensah Bonsu stressed that the party must critically assess the leadership qualities, national appeal, and vision of its prospective leaders before making a decision.

“We are not just looking for a flagbearer,” he said.

He quoted the words Kwame Pianim stated: Any idiot can be a flagbearer, and not all idiots can be presidential candidates.

“We want a presidential candidate—someone who can inspire confidence, unite the party and the nation, and offer credible solutions to Ghana’s challenges.”

His comments come at a time when internal party discussions about succession and leadership direction are gaining momentum.

With growing calls for reform and reorganisation within the NPP following its defeat in the 2024 elections, Mr Kyei Mensah Bonsu’s statement is seen as a call for strategic foresight rather than mere loyalty to party structures.

Political analyst Dr Jonathan Asante Otchere, reacting to the matter, believe the Majority Leader’s remarks could influence how the NPP frames its leadership vetting process going forward, especially as the party prepares for internal elections and policy restructuring ahead of 2028.

He said the former Majority Leader has always been a fan of the former Vice President, Dr Mahamadu Bawumia 

According to him, Kyei Mensah Bonsu is regarded as one of the party’s most experienced voices, and for him to make such a statement is worrying, adding that a flagbearer is a presidential candidate