The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has affirmed its full readiness for the upcoming presidential primaries set for January 31, 2026, promising a credible, transparent, and secure electoral process for party members and the general public.
A total of 211,849 delegates are expected to participate in the voting exercise at 333 designated polling centres across the nation’s 276 constituencies. Polling will commence at 7:00 a.m. and conclude at 2:00 p.m.
Speaking at a press briefing in Accra on Tuesday, Mr. Joseph Osei-Owusu, Chairperson of the NPP Presidential Elections Committee, confirmed that all necessary logistical, administrative, and security measures have been put in place. He noted that the Electoral Commission (EC) will oversee the entire process.
“Everything that has to be done is done. The Commission is ready, the police are ready, and everything they need to be able to do their work has been provided,” Mr. Osei-Owusu stated.
He explained that the party collaborated closely with the EC to select voting centres, with each constituency typically allocated one centre. However, additional voting points have been established in constituencies where the delegate count exceeds 1,000, ensuring all centres remain within the same locality. This arrangement has resulted in 333 polling centres nationwide, including one at the party’s headquarters in Accra.
Mr. Osei-Owusu added that two proposed voting centres were relocated following joint assessments involving the EC and constituency executives—a decision unanimously endorsed by all five presidential aspirants.
“At every stage, we involved the contestants themselves. We showed them the list, we listened to concerns, and we resolved them together,” he said.
Regarding the delegate register, the chairperson disclosed that validation, petitions, and corrections were handled transparently, with representatives from all aspirants participating. From an initial list of 213,617 names, 2,827 deceased members and 653 individuals who had forfeited their membership were removed, finalizing the eligible voters at 211,849.
“If you go to our IT centre now, you will find representatives of the contestants verifying everything and endorsing it before final printing,” he added.
The NPP has officially transferred responsibility for voting, counting, collation, and declaration to the EC. Results will be announced first at polling centres, then collated at regional centres, and finally declared at the party’s headquarters in Accra, where the winner will be presented to the public.
On security arrangements, Mr. Osei-Owusu revealed that the Ghana Police Service will deploy between 70 and 150 officers per polling centre, with military assistance in select areas, particularly in parts of the Upper East Region.
“Anybody thinking of bringing private security or ‘macho’ men should think twice. The police will deal with it very, very severely,” he warned.
He also announced the abolition of proxy voting for these primaries to uphold the process’s integrity and credibility.
“We felt that this is not an election in which we should allow anybody the basis to claim that the process was tainted,” Mr. Osei-Owusu explained.
The five aspirants vying for the NPP presidential slot are Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, Dr. Bryan Acheampong, and Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum.
Expressing optimism, the chairperson said he is confident the outcome will be accepted by all parties involved.
“Everybody will be satisfied that he won because he was voted for, or he lost because he was voted against,” he concluded.