The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has issued a zero-tolerance directive ahead of its high-stakes presidential primary this Saturday, January 31, 2026.
In a move aimed at safeguarding the secrecy of the ballot and preventing vote-buying, the party has banned all mobile phones and foreign materials from the inner voting perimeters.
The party warned that any delegate caught flouting these directives will face immediate arrest and criminal prosecution, alongside being stripped of their right to cast a ballot.
Speaking to Citi News on the eve of the election, Isaac Baah Boamah, a key member of the NPP Presidential Election Committee, detailed a rigorous walk-in voting structure designed to maintain maximum order.
Under the new guidelines, polling centres across the country will be strictly demarcated into three distinct zones:
- The Outer Section: The first point of contact where electoral officials will verify delegates’ identities.
- The Middle Section: A transition zone for final briefing and queuing.
- The Inner Section: The high-security “inner circle” where actual voting takes place.
“The electoral officials, per the guidelines, have been told that it is a walk-in exercise. The areas will be demarcated into three sections: the outer section, the middle section, and the inner section. The outer section is where the electoral officials will identify you using your ID card for this exercise,” Mr Boamah explained.
In a departure from more relaxed local processes, the committee emphasized that no person will be allowed to vote based on “vouching” or verbal confirmation from party elders. Delegates must present one of four approved documents to gain entry.
Approved Forms of Identification:
- Voter’s ID Card
- NPP Membership Card
- National Passport
- Ghana Card
“We have approved four forms of identification; any one of them will be a permissible voter’s ID, party ID, national passport, or Ghana card. Any delegate without an ID cannot cast a ballot,” Boamah noted, adding a final warning: “I urge every delegate to go and look for their ID card before they come to vote.”
The most controversial aspect of the guidelines remains the strict prohibition of technology within the voting booth.
This measure is reportedly aimed at stopping delegates from taking ballot selfies—photos of their marked ballots—which are often used as proof of vote in exchange for monetary inducements.
“When you enter the inner circle, you are not supposed to go in with any foreign material, including mobile phones,” Mr Boamah stated firmly.
The Saturday poll will determine who leads the “Elephant Party” into the next general election. The ballot paper will feature five prominent figures:
- Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia (Former Vice President)
- Kennedy Ohene Agyapong (Former MP for Assin Central)
- Dr. Bryan Acheampong (MP for Abetifi)
- Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum (MP for Bosomtwe)
- Kwabena Agyepong (Former NPP General Secretary)
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Source: www.myjoyonline.com