The Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Presidential Election Committee, Joseph Osei-Owusu, says no private or unauthorised security men will be permitted at any voting centre on the day of the party’s presidential primary on January 31, 2026.
He said the decision was taken in consultation with the Ghana Police Service and the Electoral Commission (EC) to ensure a peaceful, transparent, and credible process.
Mr Osei-Owusu announced this at a press conference in Accra on Thursday, November 6, 2025, where he outlined preparations for the primary scheduled for Saturday, January 31, 2026.
“No private or unauthorised security arrangements will be allowed at any voting centre. Access to voting areas will be restricted to delegates, accredited presidential aspirants, and electoral officials,” he said.
He added that party supporters and all other unauthorised persons must remain outside the security perimeter and comply with the electoral rules.
The committee, he noted, had been working with the Electoral Commission and other agencies to maintain neutrality and fairness throughout the process.
The EC will oversee the entire election, including the printing and distribution of ballot papers and the enforcement of operational guidelines.
Mr Osei-Owusu said the committee had completed its operational guidelines and conducted a balloting exercise with the EC. The order of appearance on the ballot will be:
Kennedy Agyapong, Dr Bryan Acheampong, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, Kwabena Agyei Agyepong
He also confirmed that the voter album verification and validation exercise across all constituencies and external branches had been completed. Some minor clerical errors, including misspellings and wrong entries, were identified and are being corrected.
“These issues are purely administrative and do not in any way affect the integrity or credibility of the voter register,” he said.
According to him, the provisional voter register will be made available to aspirants on Thursday, November 13, for verification and feedback within two weeks before the final version is approved.
He explained that members who have forfeited their party membership under Article 3(9)(1) of the NPP Constitution will not be eligible to vote.
Mr Osei-Owusu said the committee will hold further meetings with aspirants, the EC, the Ghana Police Service, and the National Council of Elders to agree on a peace pact and roadmap for the elections.
He thanked all stakeholders for their cooperation and reaffirmed the committee’s resolve to ensure a credible process.
“We are committed to a free and fair election conducted without fear, favour, or bias. We urge all aspirants, supporters, and the media to avoid spreading unverified information that could undermine confidence in the process,” Mr Osei-Owusu said.
The NPP’s presidential primaries, to be supervised by the Electoral Commission, will decide the party’s flagbearer for the 2026 general elections.
