Former Asante Mampong MP and New Patriotic Party (NPP) stalwart, Francis Addai-Nimoh, has accused the party’s leadership of violating its constitution by scheduling presidential primaries for January 2026.
Speaking on JoyNews’ Upfront programme on Wednesday, Mr Addai-Nimoh argued that the NPP constitution clearly states that when in opposition, the party must elect its presidential candidate no later than 24 months before the next general election.
“The constitution of the party says the National Executive Committee will determine the date and the time, and not later than 24 months before the general election, when the party is in opposition — this is the provision in the constitution,” he explained.
He maintained that holding the primaries in January is not only unconstitutional but also a poor strategic decision.
Mr Addai-Nimoh further suggested that the decision by the party’s National Council was influenced by internal politics and did not reflect the broader consensus within the party.
“They say opinions are divided, but the division is tilted more to the side of those who are opposed to the decision. I am pretty sure that even some National Council members are not in favour — they are not happy with what happened last month,” he said, referencing the council’s resolution to hold the primaries in January 2026.
He added that the party still has ample time to comply with its constitution.
“Per the constitution, we have all the way up to November or the first week of December 2026 to elect the flagbearer. So, we shouldn’t exceed that — we have the whole of next year,” he concluded.
