Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, former presidential aspirant and senior advisor to Dr Mahamudu Bawumia during the 2024 campaign, has called on the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to prioritise its presidential primaries and undertake urgent constitutional reforms to enhance democratic fairness and internal cohesion.
In a memorandum dated 17 April 2025, addressed to the NPP’s Constitution Amendment Committee chaired by legal luminary Frank Davies, Mr Agyepong proposed a series of recommendations aimed at improving transparency and inclusivity within the party’s electoral structures.
Chief among his proposals is the abolition of Article 13(9) of the party’s constitution, which mandates the use of a special electoral college to reduce the number of presidential aspirants to five before the national delegates’ conference. He described the current system as “undemocratic and vulnerable to manipulation,” pointing out that the limited size of the special college—comprising fewer than 1,000 members—does not reflect the broader party base.
“The current structure of this special college is susceptible to manipulation and undermines democratic fairness,” Agyepong stated. “It does not adequately represent the grassroots or foster the democratic spirit upon which our party was founded.”
To promote broader consultation and representation, Mr Agyepong proposed the creation of constituency caucuses in each of the party’s 276 constituencies. These caucuses would include Members of Parliament, District and Municipal Chief Executives, Constituency Executives, Electoral Area Coordinators, Polling Station Executives, Patrons, and Elders. He believes this structure would ensure more inclusive decision-making, describing it as “a limited enlargement of the electoral college.”
“This approach would enable key stakeholders across all levels of the party to be involved in significant decisions, fostering unity, ownership, and transparency,” he added.
Another major recommendation in Mr Agyepong’s proposal is for the party to prioritise the presidential primaries before other internal elections. He argued that this sequencing aligns with Article 13(1) of the current constitution and would help streamline the party’s internal restructuring efforts.
“Conducting presidential primaries first would promote a more logical and less contentious electoral timeline,” he noted, emphasizing that leadership clarity at the top could positively influence subsequent party elections at the regional and constituency levels.
Mr Agyepong’s memo comes at a time when the NPP is preparing for a series of internal elections and structural reviews ahead of the 2028 general elections. His recommendations are expected to ignite robust discussions within the party’s ranks as members deliberate on the best path forward to maintain unity, increase democratic participation, and enhance electoral competitiveness.
With a long-standing commitment to reform and transparency, Kwabena Agyepong’s proposals could serve as a catalyst for the NPP to re-evaluate its electoral framework and strengthen its internal democratic institutions.
