NPP Delegates Conference: Sweeping Proposals Seek to Reshape Party Leadership and Internal Democracy

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) heads into its National Delegates Conference in Kumasi on Saturday, October 3, with a number of proposed constitutional changes that could alter the party’s leadership structure, internal elections and organisation at the grassroots.

The conference, which will also see the election of national officers, follows a constitutional review process in which members and party stakeholders submitted proposals for amendments. The party has circulated the proposals ahead of the conference, where constitutional changes will require the prescribed two-thirds majority to be adopted.

Among the proposals attracting attention are changes to who should lead the party, the composition of the National Steering Committee, the structure of the vice-chairmanship, participation in internal primaries and the introduction of additional communications and information-technology positions.

Presidential candidate proposed as party leader

At the centre of the proposed reforms is a call for the NPP’s presidential candidate to become the Leader of the Party rather than the National Chairperson.

The proposal would alter the existing leadership arrangement under which the National Chairperson is designated as party leader. The NPP’s current constitution provides that the National Chairperson is the Leader of the Party, while the presidential candidate is a member of the National Executive Committee and National Steering Committee.

The proposed arrangement would tie the party’s leadership more directly to the individual selected to lead the NPP into the national elections. Reports on the proposal indicate that, when the party is in opposition and has not yet selected a presidential candidate, the National Chairperson would continue to provide leadership until a candidate is chosen. When the party is in government, the sitting President would lead the party until a new presidential candidate is selected.

The issue is significant because it goes beyond a change in title. It would redefine the relationship between the party’s elected national executives and the person entrusted with leading its national electoral campaign.

President’s return to the National Steering Committee

Another proposal seeks to restore the President to the National Steering Committee.

The Steering Committee is responsible for the day-to-day management of the party and acts on behalf of the NPP on urgent matters. Under the current constitutional arrangement, the committee includes the National Chairperson, vice-chairpersons, presidential candidate, parliamentary leader and other senior national officers.

The proposal to restore the President would be particularly relevant when the NPP is in government, creating a more formal channel between the party’s operational leadership and the presidency.

Supporters of the proposal, according to reports on the amendments, see the change as a means of strengthening coordination between the party and government.

More vice-chairpersons at national, regional and constituency levels

The proposals also seek to expand the vice-chairmanship structure at different levels of the party.

At the national level, the proposals include additional vice-chairperson positions. The current constitution provides for three National Vice-Chairpersons, ranked first, second and third according to the votes they receive.

There are also proposals to create additional vice-chairperson positions at the regional and constituency levels.

The broader question for delegates will be whether an expanded executive structure would provide greater representation and functional capacity, and how the responsibilities of the additional officers would be defined.

First, second and third vice-chairpersons as separate elections

Closely linked to the vice-chairmanship debate is a proposal to make the offices of First, Second and Third National Vice-Chairperson distinct elective positions.

Under the existing arrangement, the three vice-chairpersons are ranked according to the number of votes received at the National Delegates Conference. The candidate receiving the highest number of votes becomes First Vice-Chairperson, followed by the second and third highest vote-getters.

The proposed system would instead require candidates to contest specifically for one of the three positions, allowing delegates to vote separately for First, Second and Third Vice-Chairperson.

Reports on the proposal say the change is intended to provide greater clarity about the respective offices and allow delegates to make a separate choice for each position.

The proposal comes as the party prepares for an election in which the three vice-chairperson positions are already designated First, Second and Third, within the national executive structure.

Opening primaries to all card-bearing members

Perhaps the most consequential proposal for ordinary party members is the call to permit all card-bearing members in good standing to participate in presidential and parliamentary primaries.

The proposal comes against the background of a Supreme Court decision concerning the participation of party members in the selection of presidential and parliamentary candidates. The constitutional review debate has consequently brought the question of broader participation in party primaries to the forefront.

The NPP already has proposals on its books that seek to move presidential selection towards participation by all card-bearing members. One circulated proposal specifically calls for the presidential candidate to be elected by all card-bearing members, with voting organised at constituency level.

The idea has, however, generated different views within the party. Former NPP National Chairman Freddie Blay has questioned the practicality of allowing all card-bearing members to vote in presidential and parliamentary primaries, arguing that the organisational realities of political parties must be considered.

The conference will therefore be considering not only the principle of wider participation but also the administrative arrangements required to implement such a system.

Deputy communications officers at regional and constituency levels

The communications structure of the party is another area targeted for reform.

Proposals have been made for the appointment of Deputy Regional and Deputy Constituency Communications Officers.

The move would expand the communications apparatus below the national level and potentially provide additional support for regional and constituency communications activities.

This comes at a time when political parties increasingly rely on rapid dissemination of information across traditional media, social media and other digital platforms.

The proposed positions would add another layer to a structure that already has communications officers at different levels of the party.

IT officers to become part of regional and constituency structures

The proposed reforms also recognise the growing role of technology in party administration.

One proposal seeks to formally include IT Officers in the regional and constituency executive structures. The proposal has been linked to efforts to strengthen the NPP’s digital and administrative capacity.

The change would give information technology a more formal place in the party’s organisational structure, potentially covering areas such as membership information, digital communications, data management and technology support for party activities.

A conference focused on organisational renewal

Taken together, the seven proposals point to a broad debate about the future organisation of the NPP rather than a single constitutional amendment.

They touch on four major areas: leadership, representation, internal democracy and organisational capacity.

The leadership proposals seek to redefine the relationship between the National Chairperson, the presidential candidate and the President. The vice-chairmanship proposals would alter how senior executives are selected and structured. The all-member primaries proposal would broaden participation in candidate selection, while the communications and IT proposals would expand the party’s administrative infrastructure at the regional and constituency levels.

The proposals are being considered as the NPP prepares for its next phase following the 2024 general election and looks towards the 2028 electoral cycle. Former President Nana Akufo-Addo has urged the party to focus on unity, grassroots mobilisation and organisational renewal as it prepares for that next cycle.

For delegates gathering in Kumasi on Saturday, the constitutional debate will therefore run alongside the election of a new crop of national officers. What emerges from the conference will help determine how the NPP distributes authority, conducts its internal elections and organises its structures in the period ahead.