By: Franklin ASARE-DONKOH
The Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Presidential Elections Committee, Joseph Osei Owusu, has issued a stern warning that any polling station found to have recorded misconduct or irregularities during the party’s upcoming presidential primary will have its results invalidated.
The primary, scheduled for Saturday, January 31, 2026, will determine the party’s flagbearer for the 2028 general elections.
Speaking after the five cleared aspirants signed a peace pact on January 22, 2026, Mr. Osei Owusu emphasized that both the national executives of the NPP and the Electoral Commission (EC) are committed to protecting the credibility of the process.
He noted that the committee would not hesitate to annul the results if evidence of rule compromise is found.
Key highlights of the electoral guidelines include:
Cancellation of Results: Results will be annulled at any polling centre where irregular conduct, such as vote-buying or physical intimidation, is proven to have influenced the outcome.
No Proxy Voting: To prevent disputes, proxy voting has been completely abolished for this primary. Only delegates physically present with valid identification (Ghana Card, Voter ID, or passport) will be allowed to vote.
Security Measures: The Ghana Police Service will deploy between 70 and 150 officers per polling centre. The use of private security or “macho men” is strictly prohibited and will attract severe sanctions.
Restricted Materials: Aspirants and supporters are barred from bringing branded materials, camping delegates, or using mobile phones within voting areas.
The five aspirants contesting the race are:
- Ken Ohene Agyapong (Former MP for Assin Central)
- Dr. Bryan Acheampong (Abetifi MP and former Agriculture Minister)
- Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia (Former Vice President)
- Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum (Former Education Minister)
- Kwabena Agyei Agyepong (Former NPP General Secretary)
Polls are set to open at 7:00 a.m. and close at 2:00 p.m. across 333 polling centres nationwide. Results will be collated at regional centres before final transmission to the EC headquarters in Accra.
