By: Issah Olegor
In a dramatic U-turn just hours before the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) much-anticipated Extraordinary National Delegates’ Conference, a legal challenge threatening to derail the event has been abruptly withdrawn.
The plaintiffs, who had sought an interlocutory injunction against the conference, have discontinued the case — leaving the path clear for the NPP to proceed with its controversial agenda. However, the internal party rift that sparked the legal drama appears far from resolved.
The lawsuit, filed at the High Court in Accra on Thursday, July 17, 2025, by two individuals — Samsudeen Iddrisu of Walewale and Kwadwo Boateng of Bantama — aimed to halt the NPP’s national conference set to take place from July 18 to 20 at the University of Ghana Sports Stadium.
The plaintiffs alleged that the party had breached its own constitution by organizing the national conference before holding the mandatory constituency and regional delegates’ conferences.
Citing clear constitutional timelines — four weeks between each stage of party elections, from constituency to regional to national — the plaintiffs claimed the leadership had sidestepped due process.
Attached to the court documents were excerpts of the NPP constitution and evidence of party membership, including Boateng’s ID card.
However, just as the court was preparing to deliberate on the matter, the plaintiffs, through their legal representatives at Charisbrit Legal Consult in Kumasi, filed a Notice to Discontinue, withdrawing the action entirely.
The legal document, dated July 18, 2025, indicated the withdrawal was “with liberty to bring fresh action,” though no immediate reasons were given.
Confusion Over Plaintiff Identity Sparks Outcry
The legal challenge had already begun to unravel publicly after one of the named plaintiffs, Shamsudeen Iddrisu, released a statement distancing himself from the suit.
According to Iddrisu, he had not authorized any legal proceedings and had no involvement in the case.
“I entreat the public to disregard the writ as I have not instructed any lawyer to do so on my behalf,” he stated. “As a committed member of the NPP, I respect the National Council’s authority and would not undermine its decisions through the courts.”
This denial raised serious questions about the origin and authenticity of the lawsuit and whether political saboteurs or factions within the party had misused his name to derail the conference. Legal observers suggested the withdrawal was a strategic move to avoid further controversy and possible disciplinary actions.
The Core of the Conflict: Early Flagbearer Agenda
At the heart of the turmoil is a seismic shift in the party’s internal election calendar. On June 17, the NPP’s National Council approved a controversial plan to elect the party’s 2028 presidential candidate by January 31, 2026 — well before elections are held for constituency, regional, and national executives.
Traditionally, the NPP has followed a bottom-up approach, starting with grassroots elections before selecting its national leadership and flagbearer.
The proposed reversal has triggered a fierce backlash, with party stalwarts, MPs, and delegates accusing the leadership of sidelining the base in favour of elite decision-making.
Heavy Criticism from Party Bigwigs
Prominent voices within the party have condemned the move. Former Energy Minister Boakye Agyarko, Assin Central’s former MP Kennedy Agyapong, and Okaikwei Central MP Patrick Yaw Boamah have all warned that the change could lead the party into disarray ahead of the 2028 general elections.
Kennedy Agyapong, in particular, offered a fiery rebuke at a recent party gathering:
“If we don’t fix grassroots issues, even Jesus Christ won’t win us the 2028 elections,” he warned.
Kufuor’s Silent Signal
Former President John Agyekum Kufuor’s absence from recent party activities — including the upcoming delegates’ conference — has only fueled speculation of internal dissent.
Reports suggest Kufuor had requested the event be postponed until late August to accommodate his travel plans, a request that was rejected.
Though party leadership downplayed the issue, many party members view Kufuor’s absence as symbolic of deeper discontent between the older generation of party founders and the current executive body.
Party Insiders Defend Leadership Decision
Despite the uproar, the NPP’s leadership remains firm. Party legal minds and communicators have cited Article 10(2)(8) of the NPP Constitution, which allows for an Extraordinary National Annual Delegates’ Conference to be held independent of the usual electoral sequence.
Party communication team member Charles Opoku Presidoo emphasized that the extraordinary conference retains full powers — including constitutional amendments — and that the legal arguments against the event lacked merit.
“The assumption that the Extraordinary Conference has no power to amend the constitution is not grounded in any provision,” Presidoo said.
What Lies Ahead
With the injunction withdrawn, the NPP will now proceed with its conference as planned — but not without scars.
The public withdrawal, disavowal by one of the plaintiffs, and visible cracks in leadership unity have exposed the intense undercurrents of division within the party.
