The Electoral Commission (EC) has assured delegates and stakeholders of a credible and transparent process ahead of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential primary scheduled for Saturday in the Volta Region, with 12,626 delegates expected to cast their ballots. The Volta Regional Director of the EC, Johnson Akafia, disclosed that the Commission has received 13,025 ballot papers for the exercise, describing the number as more than sufficient to cater for all eligible voters in the region.
Speaking to journalists on Thursday, Akafia outlined the operational timeline for the primary. Voting will begin at 7:00 a.m. and officially close at 2:00 p.m., with any delegate in the queue by closing time allowed to vote. Counting will commence immediately after polls close at the various voting centres across the region. After counting, results will be signed by EC officials and agents of the candidates before being transmitted for collation, in line with established electoral procedures.
Akafia clarified that although voting will take place at designated polling centres across the region, results will not be declared at either the polling station or constituency levels. Instead, all results will be collated at the regional level and forwarded to the EC headquarters in Accra for official declaration. This centralized approach mirrors the structure being implemented nationwide for the primary.
The Volta Region is one of 16 regions participating in the NPP presidential primary, which will involve a total of 211,849 delegates voting at 333 polling centres across 276 constituencies nationwide. The exercise represents one of the largest internal party elections in Ghana’s political history. The five aspirants competing for the party’s 2028 presidential nomination are former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, former Assin Central Member of Parliament Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, former Education Minister Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, former Food and Agriculture Minister Dr. Bryan Acheampong, and former NPP General Secretary Kwabena Agyei Agyepong.
The regional EC director emphasized that all logistical preparations have been completed. Materials are in place, personnel have been deployed, and candidate agents have submitted their lists. He called on delegates, party agents, and election monitors to cooperate fully with EC officials to ensure a peaceful and orderly process. Akafia cautioned that agents are expected to observe the election without interfering in its conduct, as the responsibility of managing the exercise lies solely with the Electoral Commission.
The primary comes at a critical juncture for the NPP, which suffered a defeat in the December 2024 general elections. The party aims to use this election to reorganize, reconnect with its grassroots, and redefine its identity ahead of the 2028 contest. Tensions surrounding the primary have been high, with the party requesting the Criminal Investigation Department to investigate allegations of a plot to rig the election earlier this month.
To address concerns about electoral integrity, the Presidential Elections Committee chaired by Joseph Osei Owusu has implemented strict safeguards. These include the abolition of proxy voting, with only delegates physically present with valid identification allowed to vote. The committee has also warned that results will be annulled at any polling centre where irregular conduct such as vote buying or physical intimidation is proven to have influenced the outcome.
Security arrangements for the primary have been bolstered nationwide, with the Ghana Police Service deploying between 70 and 150 officers per centre, supported by the military in certain areas. Former Presidents John Agyekum Kufuor and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo have both urged transparency and commended the committee for its commitment to democratic principles. All five aspirants signed a peace pact on January 22 to ensure a peaceful electoral process.
A candidate must secure more than 50 percent of valid votes to win outright. If no one crosses this threshold, the party will hold a runoff between the top two aspirants, with the winner chosen by simple majority. The final register of voters was achieved following a transparent validation process that removed 2,827 deceased members and 653 individuals who had forfeited their party membership.
The outcome of Saturday’s primary will determine who leads the NPP into the 2028 general election and will signal how the party intends to rebuild after its 2024 defeat. With all preparations now complete, the focus shifts to ensuring a credible vote that reflects the will of party delegates across all 16 regions.
