The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has dismissed a proposal by former Presidents Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and John Agyekum Kufuor to delay its early national delegates conference, opting to proceed as planned on July 18-19, 2025, at the University of Ghana Sports Stadium in Accra.
The decision was finalized during a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on July 14, 2025, despite concerns raised by the former presidents, as reported by GhanaWeb.
Joseph Osei-Owusu, Chairman of the Planning Committee and former Bekwai MP, announced at a July 10, 2025, media briefing at the NPP Headquarters in Asylum Down that 5,675 delegates will attend the two-day event.
The conference aims to deliberate on proposed amendments to the NPP’s constitution, with a 300-page document and a 64-page summary circulated to regional and constituency branches for review.
Osei-Owusu assured that logistical and security arrangements are in place, including measures to address recent COVID-19 concerns at the venue, ensuring a safe and incident-free gathering.
The decision to hold the conference early reflects internal pressures to address disunity and leadership challenges following the NPP’s significant loss to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2024 general elections, where the NDC secured a nearly two-million-vote margin. A regional chairperson, speaking to Kumasi Mail, revealed that 14 of 16 regional chairmen support the early congress, citing the urgent need to elect a flagbearer by January 2026 to restore party cohesion.
“Our party is in a state of crisis, grappling with disunity and internal power struggles,” the chairperson noted, referencing the chaotic Ablekuma North rerun, where parliamentary candidate Nana Akua Afriyie defied NEC directives, exposing internal rifts.
An unnamed MP echoed this sentiment, stating that the parliamentary caucus unanimously backs an early congress to mitigate internal challenges and prepare for future elections. The MP dismissed Akufo-Addo’s reported proposal for a top-down approach to electing party executives, predicting its swift rejection.
The conference’s focus on constitutional amendments signals the NPP’s intent to restructure and unify ahead of the 2028 elections, addressing criticisms from figures like Kufuor, who recently decried his exclusion from party affairs.
