NPP Race: No counter motion on early primaries at NEC meeting – Haruna Mohammed

Deputy General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Haruna Mohammed, has clarified that there was no opposition to the party’s decision to hold its presidential primaries early during the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting.

He said the process followed due procedure, with no alternative motions proposed during the meeting.

Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile programme on Saturday, June 21, Mr Mohammed explained that the General Secretary formally presented the motion for the early primaries and called for any counter motions, but none were raised. This, he noted, indicated consensus among members.

“On that day, when my boss (General Secretary) said, ‘this is the motion we have before us’ and asked if there was any other motion, there wasn’t any other. That is why we say no one was against this,” Mr Mohammed stated.

The NPP has scheduled its presidential primaries for 31 January 2026, a decision that has generated public discourse.

However, party leadership insists the process was transparent and supported by its structures.

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) made headlines after announcing that it will hold its presidential primaries on January 31, 2026.

The party stated that the early date is aimed at giving its eventual flagbearer ample time to prepare, engage the grassroots, and unify the base ahead of the 2028 general election. The decision was taken at a National Executive Committee and National Council meeting in Accra, where key timelines for internal elections were approved.

Per the schedule, nominations for the flagbearer race will open from December 2 to December 6, 2025, with vetting of aspirants set for December 9 to 10, 2025. The NPP has also announced that parliamentary primaries in orphan constituencies where the party has no sitting MP will begin in August 2025, while constituencies with sitting MPs will vote in April 2026.

Several party figures have already made their intentions clear. Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, MP for Bosomtwe and former Minister for Education, officially declared his intention to contest the flagbearer position in a Facebook post on 18 June.

Kennedy Agyapong, former MP for Assin Central, has also declared his intent to contest the flagbearer race. Former Vice-President and 2024 flagbearer Dr Mahamudu Bawumia is widely expected to run again, with strong backing from some MPs within the party.