Delegates of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Dome Kwabenya Constituency queued as early as 11:00 PM on Friday, January 30, at the Dome Kwabenya Football Park, about nine hours ahead of the keenly anticipated NPP presidential primaries slated to officially commence at 8:00 AM today (Saturday, January 31).
Despite the chilly night breeze, a few stayed overnight to participate in the exercise to elect a flagbearer for the party to contest in the 2028 general elections.
They arrived early, determined to secure their place ahead of time in what is expected to be one of the most closely watched internal elections in the party’s history since 1992.
While the Electoral Commission (EC) and the NPP Presidential Election Committee have streamlined the walk-in with the police ensuring a peaceful process, delegates in Dome-Kwabenya say they are taking no chances.
Given the constituency’s massive delegate count—exceeding 2,000—many feared that arriving on Saturday morning would result in hours of waiting under the scorching sun.
“I came around 11 PM. We are determined to select a candidate who can lead us to victory in 2028,” a loyal delegate told JoyNews’ Michael Papanii Ashalley, who visited the centre.
As at 6:00 AM on Saturday, there were about 27 delegates standing under three marquees ready to cast their vote.
They are part of the 211,849 registered delegates across 16 regions of the country participating in the party exercise.
The presidential primaries will bring together delegates from all 16 regions, and all 275 constituencies, pooling the voices of grassroots organizers, constituency executives, and Members of Parliament.
Across the nation, over 900 voting centers have been set up for the exercise, which will conclude by 3:00 PM after which counting will commence immediately in the presence of agents, electoral observers, and the media.
A central collation centre has been established in Accra, where certified results from each constituency will be transmitted securely for final certification and declaration.
Five aspirants have successfully filed their nominations to vie for the single slot to lead the NPP into the 2028 general elections.
- Kennedy Ohene Agyapong
- Dr. Bryan Acheampong
- Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia
- Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum
- Kwabena Agyei Agyepong
Party leaders have repeatedly urged delegates and supporters to uphold the NPP’s long‑standing values of discipline, unity and peaceful competition, warning against the use of private security, vigilantes or any acts that could undermine the credibility of the process.
The largest voting blocs are Greater Accra with over 40,000 delegates and Ashanti with more than 36,000, followed by Eastern, Central and Western regions. Political observers say turnout and voting patterns in these regions could prove decisive.
The flagbearer who emerges today will immediately assume the task of reorganising the party, healing internal divisions and crafting a compelling national message ahead of the general election.
Historically, the NPP’s presidential primaries have played a significant role in shaping the party’s fortunes. Commanding victories in internal contests have often translated into stronger national campaigns, while close races have required extensive post‑primary reconciliation efforts.
As voting gets underway today, all eyes are on the NPP as it takes a crucial step in selecting the leader who will carry its banner into the next national political contest.
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Source: www.myjoyonline.com