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The New Patriotic Party (NPP) is ready to conduct a free, fair and transparent election to elect a flag bearer for the party on Saturday, the Chairperson of the Presidential Elections Committee (PEC) of the party, Joseph Osei-Owusu, has said.
“The PEC will oversee the process, and the winner will be announced at the party’s headquarters, where contestants will pledge their support as per the peace pact,” he said.
Mr Osei-Owusu, who is also a former First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, told the Daily Graphic in an exclusive interview yesterday ahead of the poll to elect the flag bearer of the party for the 2028 general election that the election would be conducted by the Electoral Commission and that all ballot papers, electoral roll (album) and other logistics had been dispatched to the various constituencies.
He added that the contestants also had copies of the electoral register, with all agents and other staff of the electoral conduct duly accredited.
Mr Osei-Owusu explained that security arrangements were being handled by the Ghana Police Service, who were working hard to ensure an incident-free contest.
There are 211,849 delegates on the electoral roll expected to cast their ballots at 333 polling centres in 276 constituencies nationwide, as well as at the party headquarters, with polls opening at 7 a.m. and closing at 2 p.m.
On the process for announcing the results of the party's presidential primary, he said the processes had been designed to ensure transparency and accountability, with contestants' agents present at every stage.
The former First Deputy Speaker of Parliament said after the close of voting, the ballots would be opened and counted at the polling centre in the presence of agents of the contestants.
Kennedy Agyapong, Adutwum, Bawumia, Bryan Acheampong, Kwabena Agyepong
Mr Osei-Owusu said the results would be announced and declared at the polling centre, with each contestant's votes recorded.
The former NPP Member of Parliament for Bekwai added that the ballots would then be sealed and transported to the district election office, while the results are transmitted to the regional office for collation.
"The regional office will also declare the collated results, with agents from each contestant present.
The results will then be transmitted to the EC office, which will collate the national results and declare the final outcome," he explained.
To ensure the integrity of the voting process, Mr Osei-Owusu explained that the party had established rules governing the elections, which had been agreed upon by all contestants and shared with the EC and the Ghana Police Service.
"First thing is that, from the beginning, we advertised the rules that will govern the elections.
We gave it to each one of the contestants.
They all looked at it and signed to it," he said.
Mr Osei-Owusu said the rules included requirements for voter identification, restrictions on campaign materials and campaign vehicles near polling centres, and strict security measures to prevent irregularities.
He warned that any breaches of the rules that would impact the integrity of the election would result in the cancellation of results at the affected polling station.
"We are making sure that there is complete fairness. Electoral Commission is the one managing the whole process.
No party executive or officer will have any role to play,” he added.
Mr Osei-Owusu urged delegates to vote freely and in safety on the election day, adding, "Arrangements have been made for you to vote freely and safely, so nobody should feel intimidated or afraid to go to the polling centre to vote."
He stressed the importance of maintaining peace and unity within the party, stating, "We want everybody to behave as a family at this point.
Whatever happens, it is the party that will emerge the winner."
Mr Osei-Owusu encouraged party members to support the winning candidate.
"Whoever emerges the winner will represent all of us, he said."
The PEC Chair also warned delegates against taking pictures of their ballot papers or sharing them on social media, cautioning that it could lead to their vote being declared invalid.
"We will forbid people from taking their phones.
If you present it for anybody else to look at, then that vote may be declared invalid," he said.
Mr Osei-Owusu assured delegates that their votes would be secret and urged them to vote quietly.
"Your vote is secret. Just vote quietly. In the end, whether the person you voted for won or not, it is a party person who has won," he stressed.
