By Daniel Bampoe
With just a day to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) critical Extraordinary National Delegates’ Conference scheduled for July 18–20, 2025, the party is staring at its most intense internal rebellion in recent years.
A controversial plan to reverse the party’s traditional electoral calendar—by electing a flagbearer before choosing its grassroots and national executives—has triggered outrage from senior members, grassroots delegates, and now, a legal battle.
Legal Bombshell
The latest twist came on Thursday, July 17, just when two registered party members, Shamsudeen Iddrisu and Kwadwo Boateng, filed an interlocutory injunction at the High Court in Accra seeking to halt the impending National Delegates’ Conference slated for the University of Ghana Sports Stadium.
The plaintiffs argue that the party has violated its constitution by bypassing key procedural steps required before convening a national conference.
According to their sworn affidavits, the NPP Constitution mandates that Constituency Annual Delegates Conferences be held at least four weeks before the Regional Conferences, which in turn must precede the National Annual Delegates’ Conference by another four weeks. These steps, the plaintiffs claim, have been ignored.
Kwadwo Boateng, a member from the Bantama Constituency in the Ashanti Region, attached a copy of his party membership card and segments of the party’s constitution to bolster the claim.
He insists the leadership’s failure to follow due process amounts to a breach of internal democracy and undermines the legitimacy of decisions expected to be made at the conference.
“The actions, conduct, structure, organisation, procedures and activities of the NPP are all governed by its Constitution,” Boateng stated.
“This upcoming conference has failed to adhere to the clear legal framework outlined in that document.”
A New Electoral Order Sparks Uproar
At the centre of the controversy is the National Executive Committee’s June 17 decision to elect the party’s flagbearer for the 2028 elections as early as January 31, 2026—months before electing the party’s local, regional, and national executives.
This marks a sharp departure from the party’s bottom-up electoral tradition.
General Secretary Justin Kodua Frimpong justified the decision as a strategic reorganisation to prepare the party early for 2028.
But critics see it as an undemocratic top-down imposition that weakens the grassroots and benefits political elites.
Party Bigwigs and Grassroots Push Back
Several high-ranking party figures and presidential hopefuls have condemned the move, calling it politically dangerous and structurally flawed.
Deputy Protocol Director Kwabena Frimpong was among the first to raise alarm in May, stating in an open letter that the sequence “installs the roof before laying the foundation.”
Former Energy Minister Boakye Agyarko slammed it as “organizationally reckless,” while MP for Okaikwei Central Patrick Yaw Boamah insisted that the party must first “fix the base.”
Kennedy Agyapong, the outspoken former Assin Central MP, delivered the harshest critique during a June 21 Constituency Chairmen Conference.
He warned that repeating the mistakes of past flagbearer-first approaches could cause doom for the party in 2028.
“If we don’t fix grassroots issues, even Jesus Christ won’t win us the 2028 elections,” he said, warning against “creating monsters at the top.”
Similarly, former government spokesperson Dr. Palgrave Boakye-Danquah and National Treasurer Dr. Charles Dwamena (Dr. China) publicly rejected the proposal. Dr. China described the restructuring as “amputating” the party’s democratic architecture.
“This isn’t just a system; it’s our identity,” he said.
Kufuor’s Snub: A Symbol of Wider Discontent?
Amid the rising internal storm, the party also finds itself entangled in controversy involving former President John Agyekum Kufuor.
The former leader allegedly requested a postponement of the conference, citing prior travel engagements, and proposed a new date in late August.
However, party officials rejected the request, claiming it came too late and that over 6,000 delegates had already been mobilized with logistics secured.
Nana Akomea, a leading member of the 2024 Bawumia campaign team, attempted to downplay tensions, saying Kufuor still has representation within the party’s decision-making organs.
Yet his conspicuous absence from key strategic meetings is being interpreted by insiders as evidence of growing estrangement between party elders and the current leadership.
What Lies Ahead?
The court is yet to fix a date to hear the application for the injunction, but the outcome could determine the immediate fate of the July 18–20 conference.
Already burdened with internal fractures, the NPP is now battling a legitimacy crisis that could affect its cohesion and prospects heading into the 2026 general elections.
The planned conference, which was expected to ratify constitutional amendments and firm up the party’s reorganisation plan, now risks being legally stalled or politically discredited.
