NPP to Hold Presidential Primaries on January 31, 2026

• The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has scheduled its presidential primaries for Saturday, January 31, 2026
• The decision was announced by the party's General Secretary, Justin Frimpong Kodua, after a National Executive Committee meeting
• A nine-member committee has also been selected to plan the national delegates' conference in July

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has scheduled its presidential primaries for Saturday, January 31, 2026.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) on June 17.

This announcement was made by the party's General Secretary, Justin Frimpong Kodua.

"The Committee also spoke about the time for our presidential primaries. And again, the Committee agrees that that decision does not warrant amendment of our Constitution. And the National Council today also made the decision that the date for our presidential primaries is set for January 31, 2026. That will be the date that we shall hold our presidential primaries."

A nine-member committee chaired by former Bekwai MP, Joseph Osei Owusu, has also been selected to plan the July 2025 national delegates conference to adopt other recommendations for the amendment of the party’s constitution.

So far, the contenders that have emerged in the race have been Former MP for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong; former Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia; the MP for Bosomtwe, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum and the former Minister for Food and Agriculture, Dr. Bryan Acheampong.

An Akufo-Addo administration spokesperson and New Patriotic Party member, Kofi Tonto, stressed that this decision was not a sign of a leadership crisis in a comment to YEN.com.gh.

"This trajectory is very typical of a party that loses an election.”

NPP National Chairman takes temporary leave

Meanwhile, the NPP National Chairman, Stephen Ayensu Ntim, has taken temporary leave from party activities.

In a letter addressed to the party's hierarchy on June 16, 2025, his family indicated that Mr Ntim was unwell and experiencing "cognitive dissonance and mental incapacitation".

In his absence, First Vice Chairperson Danquah Smith Buttey reportedly chaired the executive meeting held in Accra.

The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the NPP, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, was also notably at the meeting.

Bryan Acheampong's vision for the NPP

Acheampong already indicated his intent to be the flagbearer on June 4 with a message calling for unity and reflection within the party.

In the Pidgin English message, he acknowledged the NPP’s loss in the 2024 general election and urged party members to reflect on the outcome and reconnect with the electorate.

“We went for an election in 2024 that did not go well when it comes to the result... But this is the time to reflect and see what Ghanaians didn’t like, for which reason they didn’t vote for us.”.

“Let us stand together. We must be one in heart and in mind. We should watch our utterances to one another, which is very important. So that Ghanaians will see that we are a united party"

Kennedy Agyapong questions Bawumia's election chances

Earlier in June, YEN.com.gh reported that Agyapong criticised a potential Bawumia flagbearship.

He said the NPP was not known to reward poor performance with a second chance.

Speaking during the funeral, Agyapong told a gathering of party loyalists that the NPP’s electoral history proves ‘performance is non-negotiable.’

Proofreading by Samuel Gitonga, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.

Source: YEN.com.gh