A photo of Stephen Ntim, the National Chairman of the NPP, flanked by the General Secretary, Justin Kodua Frimpong, and the 2nd Vice Chair,
• Want Flagbearer Picked Before Party Execs Elected
A controversial proposal tabled at the latest National Council meeting of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) is threatening to ignite fresh tensions within the party, as a group of influential regional executives push for the selection of a presidential flagbearer ahead of all other internal elections.
At a closed-door session held at the Alisa Hotel in Accra, all sixteen Regional Chairpersons reportedly proposed that the party bypass its constitutionally prescribed sequence of internal elections — beginning from polling station executives up to national officers — and instead proceed directly to electing a flagbearer.
The move, if adopted, would mean the same electoral college that participated in the party’s last presidential primaries would be retained without changes, allowing the next flagbearer to emerge before any fresh reconstitution of party structures.
Cost cited, critics wary
Proponents of the proposal cite the high cost and logistical complexity of conducting internal elections from the grassroots upwards as justification. But the proposal has already encountered significant pushback from segments of the party leadership, some of whom describe the move as an “affront” to the party’s constitution and a potential catalyst for further division within an already fractured political movement.
“This would be suicidal for a party trying to reconcile its ranks,” a source familiar with deliberations at the meeting told this paper, adding that a decision has not yet been formally taken. However, plans are reportedly afoot to build consensus among council members before the next sitting, with backroom lobbying efforts underway.
Strategic implications
Should the proposal succeed, it would create a political scenario in which aspirants for party office, from constituency level upwards, would be forced to align with a pre-elected flagbearer. Observers warn that this would hand the presidential candidate outsized influence in determining the shape and tone of the party’s executive leadership ahead of the 2028 general elections.
“This kind of sequencing effectively consolidates power in the hands of the flagbearer, turning future party officer elections into a rubber stamp exercise,” a senior party member who declined to be named remarked.
Echoes of the past
This is not the first time such a proposal has emerged within the NPP’s top echelons. In 2012, under the leadership of then-Chairman Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, the party considered advancing the date for presidential primaries ahead of the national executive elections. Advocates at the time, including then-Deputy Minority Leader Dominic Nitiwul, argued that such a move would help unify the party and reduce factionalism.
However, the idea was strongly opposed by senior party figures, including Stephen Asamoah Boateng, who argued that it would exacerbate rather than resolve internal tensions. He warned that the proposal gave undue advantage to a particular faction and accused party executives of attempting to manipulate internal processes.
Committee composition raises concerns
In a related development, a nine-member committee has been tasked with reviewing a report authored by former Speaker of Parliament Professor Mike Oquaye, which includes recommendations for possible constitutional amendments. However, critics have raised concerns about the composition of the committee, suggesting it is heavily tilted in favour of former Vice-President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, the party’s 2024 presidential candidate.
According to party insiders, at least seven of the nine members are perceived to be loyalists of Dr Bawumia. These include Dr Attuah Amoah — an in-law to Spokesperson of Bawumia 2024 campaign, Dennis Miracle Aboagye — as well as former MP Ebenezer Nartey, former Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Volta Regional Chairman Makafui Woanya, legal practitioner Frank Davies, governance expert Dr Antoinette Tibu-Darko, and MP Patricia Appiah Agyei.
All are said to have close political or ideological ties to the Vice-President’s camp, raising questions about impartiality and fairness in the review process.
As if that weren’t enough, the NPP’s 2024 running mate, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, has launched a behind-the-scenes whipping campaign to pressure constituency and regional executives into backing the proposal. He has already toured the Ahafo, Bono, Bono East, and Western North regions, and is now heading to the Western Region, with plans to sweep through the Northern belt next.
Growing unease within party ranks
Amid mounting unease, some within the NPP’s rank and file view the latest proposal as a calculated attempt by a dominant faction to consolidate control over the party’s future direction.
“There’s an impression that internal democracy is being sacrificed for political expediency,” said one former national executive, adding: “The party’s unity depends on adherence to our constitutional processes, not shortcuts designed to entrench the position of any one group.”
While the final decision rests with the National Council, all eyes will now be on its next meeting, where the outcome of ongoing behind-the-scenes manoeuvring may determine whether the party stays the course of constitutional orthodoxy or embarks on a bold but contentious path toward early flagbearer selection.
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