More than 200,000 accredited party members are expected to vote across voting centres in across the country during the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) upcoming presidential primaries, the party’s Regional Communications Director, Peter Ayinbisa, has announced.
Speaking on A1 Radio, Mr. Ayinbisa said preparations for the exercise are far advanced, with sustained engagements ongoing among delegates, party agents, and other key stakeholders in the Upper East Region. He added that the Electoral Commission (EC) and its officers in the region are fully prepared to supervise the process to ensure a smooth, transparent, and credible election.
“In all, we will have a little over 200,000 people voting in these particular primaries of the party,” he said. According to him, voting will begin at exactly 8:00 a.m. and end at 3:00 p.m. at all centres. However, counting of ballots will not start immediately after voting closes.
Mr. Ayinbisa explained that, in line with party regulations, ballot boxes nationwide will be opened for counting simultaneously at 8:00 p.m. “Once voting closes, you cannot open the ballot box to start sorting and counting. You must wait until 8:00 p.m., when the entire country will open the ballots at the same time,” he stressed.
He noted that due to differences in constituency sizes, sorting and counting may not end simultaneously across all centres. Nevertheless, he expressed confidence that within two hours of counting, all constituencies in the region would conclude the process and transmit their results to the regional collation centre, from where they will be forwarded to the party’s national headquarters for processing by the elections committee.
On security arrangements, Mr. Ayinbisa emphasized that the Ghana Police Service will be solely responsible for maintaining law and order during the primaries, in accordance with the 1992 Constitution. He ruled out the involvement of party security operatives, personal bodyguards, or vigilante groups.
“We believe in the Ghana Police Service. They have the capacity, equipment, and logistics to provide adequate security,” he said, adding that the voting process is straightforward and unlikely to generate tension. Delegates, he noted, will be required to verify their names in the register and present valid identification, including party cards, passports, or voter ID cards.
Addressing concerns arising from incidents during previous internal elections, where some supporters were allegedly mishandled, Mr. Ayinbisa said strict measures have been put in place to prevent a recurrence. Campaigning and the display of paraphernalia—such as posters, T-shirts, and flyers—will be prohibited at voting centres on election day.
He further cautioned that only accredited delegates will be allowed near voting centres. Non-delegates are expected to stay away until voting ends and counting begins, at which point they may observe proceedings from an approved distance.
“We do not expect supporters to mass at voting centres,” he said, adding that any celebrations should only take place after the official declaration of results.
Mr. Ayinbisa expressed optimism that strict adherence to these guidelines will ensure a peaceful, orderly, and credible primary election in the Upper East Region.
Source: A1 Radio | 101.1 Mhz | Moses Apiah | Bolgatanga
