Chairman of the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Presidential Elections Committee, Joe Osei Owusu, has dismissed petitions from student groups and diaspora members challenging the party’s decision to ban proxy voting in the 2026 presidential primaries.
Speaking during the presentation of copies of the provisional register to aspirants, he said the committee had carefully reviewed all submissions but concluded that maintaining the restriction is essential to safeguarding the integrity and orderly conduct of the elections.
“We’ve read the petitions presented by sections of the party, and after listening to all that, we came to the conclusion that for the sake of conducting an election that is incident-free and credible, that provision should be maintained. We will still not have proxy voting in the 2026 presidential primaries,” he said.
The proxy ban, introduced earlier this year as part of the election guidelines, has drawn criticism from members abroad and students who argue that the rule disenfranchises committed party supporters unable to vote in person.
Petitioners had urged the committee to reconsider, insisting that the NPP’s expanding global membership should be reflected in its electoral processes. But the committee has remained firm on its position.
Osei Owusu stressed that in-person voting remains the most reliable method for a close and competitive contest, noting that it avoids logistical complications and strengthens public confidence in the final outcome.
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