The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has introduced strict security measures ahead of its presidential primary on Saturday, January 31, 2026, banning all mobile phones and foreign materials from inner voting areas.
The directive aims to protect ballot secrecy and prevent vote-buying through “ballot selfies” or other proof-of-vote tactics.
Speaking to Citi News on the eve of the election, Isaac Baah Boamah, a key member of the NPP Presidential Election Committee, outlined a clear three-zone voting structure:
Outer Section: Identity verification using approved ID
Middle Section: Final briefing and queuing
Inner Section: Actual voting (high-security “inner circle”)
No one will be allowed to vote based on “vouching” or verbal confirmation from party elders. Delegates must present one of four approved documents:
Voter’s ID Card
NPP Membership Card
National Passport
Ghana Card
“When you enter the inner circle, you are not supposed to go in with any foreign material, including mobile phones,” Mr Boamah stated firmly.
Any delegate caught with a phone or violating the rules faces immediate arrest, criminal prosecution, and disqualification from voting.
The election will determine the NPP’s flagbearer for the 2028 general elections. Five aspirants are on the ballot:
Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia
Kennedy Ohene Agyapong
Dr. Bryan Acheampong
Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum
Kwabena Agyepong
Ghana Police Service personnel are deployed nationwide, and the Electoral Commission is overseeing the process. Observers from the party and civil society groups will monitor for transparency.
Party leaders appealed for calm, discipline, and acceptance of the outcome, urging delegates to vote according to conscience and party interest.
Voting begins early Saturday morning and ends in the afternoon, with results expected later in the day.
