NPP delegates vote to make flagbearer party leader in constitutional overhaul
NPP delegates have approved a major constitutional amendment making the flagbearer the party leader, reshaping succession ahead of the 2028 elections.
Delegates at the New Patriotic Party's National Delegates Conference in Kumasi on Saturday, October 3, have voted to amend the party constitution, elevating the flagbearer to formal party leadership. The change, one of fourteen amendments passed unanimously, directly positions Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, the current flagbearer, as the party's de facto leader as it prepares for the 2028 general election. This shift reverses a 2026 decision that had designated the National Chairman as the party leader, a move now officially undone.
The constitutional revision also restructures party hierarchy by altering the election of National Vice Chairpersons. Candidates will now contest specific deputy roles rather than a single National First Vice Chairman position, with the order of vote determining rank. Additionally, three new Vice Chairperson positions have been created without elections, while Deputy Communications Officers and an elevated IT Officer now hold executive status within the party structure.
Chairman of the Constitution Amendment Committee Frank Davies defended the changes as necessary due to "acts of omission and commission" linked to previous amendments, stating they were "imperative" for the party's organisational effectiveness ahead of the upcoming election cycle. The amendment package reflects the NPP's ongoing efforts to refine its internal processes as it consolidates preparations for the 2028 contest.
The party's National Chairman, Joseph Danquah Smith, had initially proposed delaying the vote, citing concerns about delegates' capacity to properly assess the amendments alongside national executive elections. However, his recommendation was overruled, allowing the amendments to pass at the Kumasi conference. The vote marks a pivotal moment in the NPP's internal restructuring, solidifying the flagbearer's central role in party leadership during a critical pre-election period.
The amendments, finalized after a thorough review process, aim to strengthen the party's operational framework. By formally linking the flagbearer to the party leadership, the NPP seeks to streamline decision-making and unify its structure under a single, clear point of authority as it moves toward the 2028 election campaign with Dr Bawumia as its standard-bearer. This move underscores the party's strategic focus on consolidating its internal apparatus ahead of national polls.
