Accra: The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has announced its readiness for the upcoming presidential primaries scheduled for January 31, 2026. The party has finalized arrangements to ensure a credible and transparent voting process.
According to Ghana News Agency, a total of 211,849 delegates are anticipated to cast their votes at 333 polling centres spread across 276 constituencies nationwide. The polls will open at 0700 hours and close at 1400 hours. Mr. Joseph Osei-Owusu, Chairperson of the NPP Presidential Elections Committee, confirmed that all necessary preparations, including the final register, security arrangements, voting centres, and election rules, have been completed. The Electoral Commission (EC) will oversee the conduct of the polls.
Mr. Osei-Owusu emphasized the party's collaboration with the EC in identifying voting centres. Each constituency is set to have one centre, except in cases where delegate numbers surpass 1,000, leading to the establishment of additional voting points within the same area. This coordination has resulted in the creation of 333 polling centres, including one at the party's headquarters in Accra.
Adjustments were made to two proposed voting centres following joint assessments with the EC and constituency executives, which received unanimous approval from all five presidential aspirants. Mr. Osei-Owusu highlighted that the party engaged the contestants throughout the process, ensuring transparency and inclusivity.
On the delegate register, Mr. Osei-Owusu noted that issues related to validation, petitions, and corrections were addressed transparently, with the involvement of agents representing all aspirants. The initial list of 213,617 names was revised after identifying 2,827 deceased members and 653 individuals who had forfeited their membership, resulting in 211,849 eligible voters.
The NPP has delegated the entire voting, counting, collation, and declaration process to the EC, with results set to be declared initially at polling centres, then collated at regional centres, and finally announced at the party's headquarters in Accra. The winner will be formally introduced to the public.
Regarding security, Mr. Osei-Owusu stated that the Ghana Police Service would deploy between 70 and 150 officers per polling centre, with military support in specific areas, notably in parts of the Upper East Region. He cautioned against the use of private security or 'macho' men, emphasizing strict enforcement by the police.
To uphold the integrity of the process, proxy voting has been abolished for the primaries. Mr. Osei-Owusu expressed confidence that the election's outcome would be accepted by all, as the process has been designed to ensure fairness and transparency.
The five aspirants competing in the NPP presidential primaries are Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Mr. Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, Mr. Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, Dr. Bryan Acheampong, and Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum. Mr. Osei-Owusu expressed confidence in the process, affirming that the results will reflect the genuine choice of the delegates.