NPP delegates approve 14 constitutional amendments at Kumasi conference

Delegates at the New Patriotic Party’s National Delegates Conference in Kumasi approved all 14 constitutional amendment motions on Wednesday, disregarding Acting National Chairman Joseph Danquah Smith’s request to defer the process. The vote took place at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium, forming the opening agenda ahead of national officer elections. Smith had argued that the tight schedule would not allow proper scrutiny of the amendments amid concurrent executive elections. The party proceeded regardless, with the Constitution Amendment Committee’s proposals adopted unanimously by the 7,163 delegates representing all 16 regions.

One key change overturns a January 2026 clause that designated the National Chairman as the party’s overall leader. The new amendment instead positions the party’s presidential candidate, or flagbearer, as the supreme leader. Another amendment reforms the Vice Chairperson election system: candidates will now contest specific roles rather than a single National First Vice Chairman position, and three additional Vice Chairpersons will be appointed directly without election. Deputy Communications Officers and an elevated IT Officer to executive status were also approved. Frank Davies, Chairman of the Constitution Amendment Committee, stated the revisions address structural gaps exposed since the last 2025 amendment, calling them essential for the party’s readiness for the 2028 general elections. He emphasized the changes close previous omissions and omissions in party governance.

Following the constitutional vote, delegates moved to elect new national officers, with results anticipated later that day. The Electoral Commission oversees the process across 31 polling stations. Smith has not indicated further resistance, but the amendments now move to formal ratification. The next phase of the party’s congress will determine how these structural shifts translate into operational leadership ahead of national elections.