The New Patriotic Party (NPP) says it will not compel any prospective parliamentary candidate to withdraw from its primaries as it considers different approaches to securing winnable candidates for the 2028 general elections.
The party’s Director of Communications, Dennis Miracles Aboagye, said consultations with prospective aspirants form part of the democratic process and should not be interpreted as an attempt to force candidates out of the race.
Speaking on Joy FM, Mr Aboagye explained that the party would consider the unique circumstances of each constituency before deciding how candidates should be selected.
“Nobody is asking anybody anywhere to step down. We are saying that discussions, negotiations, conversations are all parts of democracy and the electoral process,” he said.
His comments follow remarks by NPP flagbearer Dr Mahamudu Bawumia that the party had begun identifying potential parliamentary candidates ahead of the 2028 elections.
Dr Bawumia said the exercise was aimed at finding individuals with the capacity to win parliamentary seats, rather than relying exclusively on the outcome of internal primaries.
He argued that while an aspirant may have the financial strength and resources to secure victory in an NPP primary, that does not necessarily mean the person would be able to win the subsequent general election.
Mr Aboagye said the party would therefore not adopt a uniform approach in every constituency.
He explained that where several strong candidates emerge, they may be allowed to contest the primary, while in other constituencies, discussions could be held to build consensus around a suitable candidate.
“There are some constituencies when you go, you identify about four or five capable people. What it means is that all of four or five of them have the capacity to win the seat. You have to put them into the ballot,” he said.
He maintained that negotiations and consensus-building were legitimate components of the electoral process and would be considered alongside competitive primaries.
“Election is not the only option in democracy. Negotiations are part of democracy. Sitting down and agreeing to certain things are all parts of democracy,” Mr Aboagye added.
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