The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Chairman for the Tema West Constituency, Kwasi Opoku, has called on the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) to reconsider its decision to hold the presidential primaries before electing new party executives.
This follows NEC’s announcement on Monday, June 17, that the party’s presidential primaries will be held on January 31, 2026.
In an interview, Mr. Opoku expressed disappointment over the decision, describing it as misguided and not in the best interest of the party, especially as it continues to recover from its defeat in the 2024 general elections.
“Our party is already struggling after the heavy loss in 2024. This decision, which many at the grassroots level have opposed, only signals a further disconnect between leadership and the base,” he said.
He criticized the move as a deviation from the NPP’s traditional bottom-up approach, warning that allowing a presidential candidate to be elected before constituency and other local executives could hand too much influence to the flagbearer and create internal tensions saying “you don’t roof a building before foundation”.
“You don’t build a roof before laying the foundation, if the party isn’t careful with this top-down method, we risk discouraging our youth and weakening our structures even further,” he added.
While acknowledging the authority of the Executive Committee, Mr. Opoku insisted that the party must adopt a more inclusive and strategic approach to restore unity and adequately prepare for the 2028 elections.
