According to the committee, chaired by First Deputy Speaker of Parliament Joe Osei-Owusu (Joe Wise), the decision follows a careful review of petitions and concerns submitted by party members—including those from the diaspora. The committee insists that the move is necessary to protect the credibility, fairness, and transparency of the election.
The ruling means that all accredited delegates must be physically present at their designated polling centers on election day. No one will be allowed to vote on behalf of another member.
The decision has sparked mixed reactions within the party. Some external branches and executives living or studying abroad argue that the ban disenfranchises them, especially as long-distance travel to Ghana for a single-day election can be extremely expensive. They also point to the NPP’s constitution—particularly Article 25—which they believe allows proxy voting and therefore makes the ban questionable.
Despite these concerns, the committee has held firm, stating that physical voting is the best way to guarantee an incident-free and respected electoral process. The committee has also reiterated that private security personnel will not be permitted inside voting centers, leaving security solely in the hands of the Ghana Police Service.
To ensure a smooth process, the Election Committee is distributing the provisional voters’ register to all aspirants for verification. Members who have forfeited their party membership under Article 3(9)(1) of the NPP constitution will not be eligible to vote in the primaries.
As the 2026 presidential primary approaches, the party’s stance on proxy voting is expected to remain a major talking point—especially among diaspora members who feel left out of the process.
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