The Herald has gathered that the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) intends to postpone its presidential primaries, originally scheduled for January next year. The party is, therefore, considering electing a presidential candidate between June and July 2026.  

The decision, expected to be announced at the National Delegates Conference on Saturday, July 19, 2025, at the University of Ghana Sports Stadium in Legon, aims to give aspirants more time to disseminate their campaign messages and garner support across the country.

Curiously, despite having recently left office, the party is reportedly not in a strong financial position. It is believed that the postponement is also intended to provide time for the party to mobilise funds for its activities.

The Herald understands that the decision to delay the flagbearer election has been communicated to the various aspirants, including Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, Kennedy Agyapong, Bryan Acheampong, and Dr Yaw Adutwum, among others, who are projected to spend at least GHC250 million each on their respective campaigns.

As a result, these aspirants have scaled down their activities while awaiting the outcome of deliberations and decisions to be made at Saturday’s National Delegates Conference.

In June, the NPP’s General Secretary, Justin Frimpong Koduah, announced that the party would hold its presidential primaries on 31 January 2026. This followed the National Council’s adoption of a proposal from the Constitutional Review Committee.

The decision was intended to curb internal bickering and disunity, but it drew criticism from some party heavyweights, who argued that holding the primaries so early was “putting the cart before the horse”. They publicly opposed the move.

These critics insisted that polling stations, constituency, regional and national executive elections should be held before the presidential primaries, as has traditionally been the case.

However, Mr Koduah clarified that the timing of the presidential primaries would not be subject to approval by the delegates’ conference, as the National Council had already exercised its mandate on the matter.

“The date for our presidential primaries is set for 31 January 2026. That will be the date that we shall hold our presidential primaries. Because there is going to be a proposal or motion for amendment of our constitution, a planning committee has been put in place,” he said, but there is a change of mind now.

A nine-member committee, chaired by former Bekwai MP Joseph Osei-Owusu, was subsequently selected to plan the July 2025 National Delegates Conference and consider other recommendations for constitutional amendments.

Saturday’s event will bring together all stakeholders of the NPP nationwide for the first time in Accra since the party’s defeat in last year’s presidential and parliamentary elections.

The Annual Delegates Conference will also deliberate on key constitutional reforms, including recommendations from the Prof. Mike Oquaye Committee report and an outstanding proposal from the party’s 2019 Delegates Conference in Kumasi.

Although the 2019 reform received approval at the time, it has yet to be formally presented for final consideration.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the National Planning Committee has confirmed that the party’s 2025 National Conference will proceed as scheduled on Saturday, at the University of Ghana Sports Stadium in Legon.

His assurance follows a petition from some party members calling for a change of date.

Speaking to journalists, Mr Osei-Owusu confirmed that a formal petition had been submitted to the party’s National Council requesting a revision of the conference date. However, after careful consideration, the Council resolved to stick with the original schedule.

“There’s a petition that the date for the conference should be changed,” Mr Osei-Owusu disclosed.

“The National Council, after considering it, decided that we should continue. In view of the preparations we have made and the commitments we have undertaken, we should continue with the conference as already announced,” he noted.

Despite the disagreement over timing, party leadership maintains that continuity and adherence to existing plans are essential, especially given the logistical and financial arrangements already in place.

Interestingly, Ghana’s former Presidents, John Agyekum Kufuor and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, will deliver keynote addresses during the NPP’s National Delegates Conference on Saturday, 19 July 2025, virtually, as both are currently out of the country, sources close to the party’s top executives have confirmed.

The immediate past President, Nana Akufo-Addo, who has been travelling between France and the UK, was already out of the country when the National Council approved the 19 July date and will not return in time for the event.

Former President Kufuor, who recently participated in the launch of the party’s ideological wing, the Patriotic Institute, is also unavailable and will deliver his speech online.

The National Council has been duly informed about the virtual participation of both former Presidents.

President Akufo-Addo has, meanwhile, firmly denied allegations that he attempted to reverse the party’s decision to hold early primaries or postpone the upcoming National Delegates Conference.

This follows media reports suggesting that the former President had tried to overturn the party’s decision on both counts.

In a statement issued on Monday, 14 July, the Office of the Former President dismissed the claims as “completely false”.

“President Akufo-Addo, who has been out of the jurisdiction for some time now, has not made any such requests to the party either through a petition or by any other means and has no intention of doing so,” the statement read.

It further stated: “Clearly, those behind these publications have an agenda of their own, which has nothing to do with improving the fortunes of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).”

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