NPP TIGHTENS GRIP ON PARLIAMENTRY PRIMARIES - OPENS NOMINATIONS NOVEMBER 1

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) will open applications for prospective parliamentary candidates on November 1, 2026, with interested persons required to pay GH¢5,000 and complete an online expression of interest by November 10. The party’s General Secretary, Justin Kodua Frimpong, announced the guidelines at a press briefing in Accra yesterday and stressed that all aspirants, including incumbent Members of Parliament (MPs), must comply with the selection process. Applicants are required to complete the prescribed forms through the party’s official portal, ppc.nppghana.org, within the 10-day application window. Mr Kodua Frimpong said the process would involve vetting and screening to determine the eligibility of prospective candidates in accordance with the party’s requirements. No exemptions The general secretary emphasised that sitting MPs would not be exempted from the process, making it mandatory for all prospective candidates to satisfy the stipulated requirements. The directive places incumbent legislators and other aspirants under the same selection framework as the party prepares to identify candidates to represent it in constituencies across the country. Workshops in December December As part of efforts to prepare prospective candidates for their responsibilities, the NPP will organise capacity-building workshops in December 2026. The workshops will be held across three designated zones — Northern, Middle and Southern — to equip aspirants with the necessary knowledge and skills. The party said the structured process was intended to promote fairness, transparency, discipline and equal opportunities for all prospective candidates. Campaign ban remains Mr Kodua Frimpong also cautioned aspirants against interpreting the opening of applications as permission to begin campaigning. He said the existing directive suspending all campaign activities remained in force until the party granted official clearance. “Expression of interest does not constitute authorisation to begin campaigning,” Mr Kodua Frimpong said in the briefing. He urged all prospective candidates to strictly observe the directives, warning that the application process did not override the party’s restrictions on campaign activities. Fair selection The NPP said the guidelines were designed to ensure a disciplined and transparent process that would provide a level playing field for all aspirants. The party reiterated that compliance with the application, vetting and screening requirements was mandatory for anyone seeking to contest on its ticket. The application window opens on November 1 and closes on November 10, 2026, while the capacity-building workshops are scheduled for December. Background On October 11, Mr Kodua Frimpong ordered prospective aspirants to suspend campaign activities pending official guidelines and cited concerns about premature campaigning and unequal competition. The NPP’s parliamentary representation fell from 137 seats in 2020 to 88 in 2024. The scale of the reversal demands more than a change of candidates.