By Daniel Bampoe
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has announced strict directives to govern its Parliamentary Candidate selection process, with a 10-day online expression of interest, a GH¢5,000 application fee and a complete ban on campaigning until clearance is given.
The guidelines were outlined by the General Secretary of the party, Lawyer Justin Kodua Frimpong, at a press briefing on the party’s parliamentary primaries roadmap.
According to the party, the structured selection process is designed to promote fairness, transparency, discipline and a level playing field for all prospective parliamentary candidates.
The 7 Key Directives
1. Expression of Interest: The party says the online expression of interest will open on 1st November and close on 10th November 2026. All interested persons must complete the prescribed form through the party’s official portal: http://ppc.nppghana.org. No manual or proxy applications will be accepted outside the portal.
2. Application Fee: A fee of GH¢5,000 is required as part of the application process. The party indicates the fee is non-refundable.
3. Vetting and Screening: After the expression window, all prospective candidates will undergo a mandatory vetting and screening exercise. The process will determine their eligibility in accordance with the party’s constitution and requirements for parliamentary candidature.
4. Capacity-Building Workshops: The party will organise capacity-building workshops in December 2026 for all prospective candidates. Unlike earlier proposals for two zones, the workshops will now be held across three designated zones – Northern, Middle and Southern – to ensure effective coverage and training.
5. No Exemption for Incumbent MPs: The party has stressed that incumbent Members of Parliament are equally subject to these guidelines. No prospective candidate, regardless of status, is exempt from the process.
6. Campaign Activities Remain Suspended: The General Secretary emphasized that expression of interest does not constitute authorisation to begin campaigning. The party’s earlier directive suspending all campaign activities remains strictly in force until official clearance is granted. Any aspirant found campaigning will be in breach of party directives.
7. Fairness and Equal Opportunity: The party says the entire structured process is anchored on ensuring fairness and equal opportunity for all.
The party has urged that the directives must be strictly observed by all prospective candidates.
Background
The NPP’s announcement comes as the party seeks to reorganize after the 2024 general elections and prepare for the next parliamentary contest.
In previous cycles, particularly in 2019 and 2023, the party’s parliamentary primaries were hit by premature and aggressive campaigning, with aspirants erecting billboards and openly canvassing for delegate support more than a year before primaries. This forced the party headquarters to issue several cease-and-desist directives which were largely ignored.
The introduction of a centralized online portal – http://ppc.nppghana.org – marks a significant digitization of the NPP’s internal electoral processes. It allows the party to have a verifiable database of aspirants per constituency before nominations.
The explicit inclusion of incumbent MPs is also a shift. In past primaries, debates over whether to protect sitting MPs or open all constituencies led to agitations. By subjecting everyone to the same expression, vetting and training, the current leadership under Lawyer Justin Kodua Frimpong appears to be seeking to neutralize perceptions of favoritism and restore discipline at the base.
The three-zone capacity-building workshops in December will be the first time the party is formally training potential parliamentary candidates before they are even cleared to campaign, a move analysts say is aimed at aligning aspirants with the party’s ideology, campaign conduct and parliamentary responsibilities.
