By Francis Kobena Tandoh
The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) in Ghana is holding its presidential primary today, January 31, to elect its presidential candidate who will lead the party into the 2028 general election in a highly-stakes primary.
Delegates nationwide are voting in some 333 polling centres across the country to choose among five aspirants vying for the nomination.
Some 211,849 accredited delegates are expected to vote nationwide in what party officials describe as one of the largest and most consequential internal elections in the NPP’s history.
The primaries will be conducted across all 16 regions, as well as at the national headquarters and selected diaspora voting centres, under tight security and strict electoral guidelines.
The largest voting blocs are Greater Accra with over 40,000 delegates and Ashanti with more than 36,000, followed by Eastern, Central and Western regions. Political observers say turnout and voting patterns in these regions could prove decisive.
Voting is expected to begin early this morning and run through till 1400 hours GMT, after which counting will take place at the various centres before results are transmitted to the party’s national collation centre.
The party headquarters in Accra is scheduled to host the announcement and formal unveiling of the winner once counting is complete.
The main figures contesting the NPP flagbearer position include businessman and former Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong, MP for the Abetifi Constituency and former Minister for Food and Agriculture, Dr Bryan Acheampong, former Vice-President and 2024 NPP presidential candidate Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, Bosomtwe MP and former Education Minister Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum and former NPP General Secretary Kwabena Agyei Agyepong.
Months of campaigning and polling suggested a competitive race, with different polls showing varying frontrunners and no definitive outcome before voting began.
The flagbearer who emerges today will immediately assume the task of reorganising the party, healing internal divisions and crafting a compelling national message ahead of the general election.
Personnel from the Ghana Police Service have been deployed to all polling centres to maintain order, while the Electoral Commission (EC) handles the polls.
The party has reiterated its ban on “machomen” and vigilantes, cautioning that any breach could attract sanctions.
Party leaders have repeatedly urged delegates and supporters to uphold the NPP’s long‑standing values of discipline, unity and peaceful competition, warning against the use of private security, vigilantes or any acts that could undermine the credibility of the process.
Historically, the NPP’s presidential primaries have played a significant role in shaping the party’s fortunes. Commanding victories in internal contests have often translated into stronger national campaigns, while close races have required extensive post‑primary reconciliation efforts.
As delegates of the major opposition party cast their ballot today in an internal contest, all eyes are on the NPP as it takes a crucial step in selecting the leader who will carry its banner into the 2028 general election to recapture political power. Enditem
Source: Ghana Eye Report
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