BY Daniel Bampoe
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has directed all prospective parliamentary aspirants, their agents and supporters to immediately suspend campaign activities across the country, warning that anyone who violates the directive could face disciplinary sanctions that may affect their eligibility to contest the party’s parliamentary primaries.
In a statement issued by the party’s headquarters in Accra on Sunday, October 11, 2026, and signed by General Secretary, Justin Kodua Frimpong, the NPP said it had received numerous complaints that some members with parliamentary ambitions had already begun campaigning in their respective constituencies.
The party described the activities as contrary to its regulations and Code of Conduct, cautioning that premature campaigning could create an uneven playing field among prospective candidates and undermine the unity and discipline required as the party prepares for the 2028 general election.
The directive, which takes immediate effect, covers all forms of campaign activities intended to promote the parliamentary ambitions of individuals ahead of the official timetable and guidelines for the party’s internal electoral process.
Under the new instructions, prospective aspirants and their supporters are prohibited from mounting posters, billboards, banners and other campaign-branded materials to promote their candidacies.
They are also barred from organising rallies, meetings with polling station executives and constituency tours for the purpose of soliciting support for their parliamentary ambitions.
The NPP has further prohibited the distribution of items, gifts or other inducements to delegates and party members as part of efforts to attract support ahead of the primaries.
Paid media advertisements and social media campaigns promoting prospective parliamentary candidates have also been included in the list of prohibited activities.
The party has extended the restrictions to its internal structures, warning officers at the polling station, electoral area, constituency, regional and national levels against using their positions or official platforms to promote any prospective parliamentary aspirant.
Members of the Tertiary Students Confederacy Network (TESCON) have equally been directed to refrain from promoting aspirants on social media platforms, including Facebook, X and Instagram, or facilitating activities considered premature campaigning.
According to the statement, party executives at all levels are expected to enforce the directive strictly within their respective jurisdictions to ensure that no prospective candidate gains an advantage through activities conducted before the approved campaign period.
The party warned that members who disregard the instructions would be subjected to its established disciplinary procedures, with possible consequences for their eligibility to contest the parliamentary primaries. The General Secretary said the party would announce the timetable and guidelines for the parliamentary selection process in due course, urging members to cooperate with the leadership and comply with the regulations.
Bawumia’s Early Campaign
The directive comes days after the NPP’s flagbearer, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, disclosed plans for a nationwide search for prospective parliamentary candidates as part of the party’s preparations for the 2028 general election.
Speaking to party executives on Sunday, October 4, 2026, following the party’s National Delegates Conference, Dr. Bawumia said the NPP intended to identify individuals with the capacity to secure parliamentary seats rather than rely exclusively on the outcome of internal primaries.
He explained that the party was concerned that some individuals could win parliamentary primaries because of their financial resources but subsequently struggle to secure victory in the general election.
According to him, the proposed candidate-selection exercise would provide an additional basis for assessing prospective candidates across constituencies nationwide.
Dr. Bawumia said the party intended to commission more than one independent assessment of potential candidates and compare the findings before making decisions about individuals who could be encouraged to contest in particular constituencies.
He maintained that financial strength should not be the principal consideration in selecting parliamentary candidates, arguing that winning an internal party contest did not automatically translate into victory in a general election.
The NPP flagbearer said the broader objective was to strengthen the party’s parliamentary representation by retaining constituencies it currently holds and reclaiming seats won by the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC).
He also indicated that the party wanted to organise its parliamentary primaries as early as possible to bring the internal selection process to an end and give candidates sufficient time to prepare for the general election.
Decisions
The latest directive introduces a stricter position on the activities of prospective parliamentary candidates at a time when the NPP is beginning its preparations for the next general election.
The party’s decision to prohibit campaign posters, constituency tours, delegate meetings, inducements and online promotional activities signals an effort to regulate the early stages of the contest and prevent aspirants from building advantages before the official campaign period.
It also places responsibility on party executives to ensure that the rules are observed across the party’s organisational structures.
The relationship between the directive and Dr. Bawumia’s proposed candidate-search exercise will be significant as the NPP develops its strategy for selecting parliamentary candidates. While the flagbearer has spoken about using independent assessments to identify individuals with the potential to win constituencies, the party has not, in the October 11 statement, outlined how the proposed assessments will relate to the formal parliamentary primaries.
The statement also does not specify when the parliamentary primaries will begin or when the party will publish the detailed guidelines governing the process.
