Certainly! Here’s a clear, concise, and structured rewrite of your original story on the New Patriotic Party’s internal pushback against the proposed flagbearer election reforms:
NPP Faces Revolt Over Proposed Top-Down Flagbearer Elections
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) is grappling with internal resistance following a proposal to elect the party’s 2028 flagbearer before choosing its national, regional, and constituency executives—a move that would overturn the party’s traditional bottom-up electoral structure.
The party announced in June 2025 that its presidential primary would take place on January 31, 2026, ahead of all other executive elections. This decision, approved by the National Executive Committee and endorsed by the National Council, has sparked criticism from prominent party figures who see it as a break from the NPP’s grassroots foundation.
“A Betrayal of Party Principles”
Deputy Protocol Director Kwabena Frimpong was among the first to raise concerns, calling the move a “betrayal” of the NPP’s foundational values. In a letter dated May 16, he warned:
“No one begins building a house by installing the roof before laying the foundation. This reverses the party’s power structure and sidelines the grassroots.”
Frimpong argued the process could encourage favoritism and imposition, undermining internal democracy and transparency.
Former Energy Minister and flagbearer hopeful Boakye Agyarko condemned the proposal as “strategically unsound, politically indefensible, and organizationally reckless,” insisting that selecting a flagbearer without a solid party structure is a “recipe for disaster.”
Patrick Yaw Boamah, MP for Okaikwei Central, echoed similar sentiments on Channel One TV, urging the party to fix internal cracks and re-energize its base before launching into presidential contests.
“Those declaring to be flagbearers—what are we standing on? The base is weak. Let’s fix the party first.”
Former MP and presidential hopeful Kennedy Agyapong also rejected the plan at the June 21 Constituency Chairmen Conference.
“There’s nothing wrong with our current system… The problem is we’ve created monsters at the top. Doing this again will only repeat past mistakes.”
He stressed that unless internal structures are rebuilt from polling station level upwards, even the best candidate could fail in 2028.
Dr. Palgrave Boakye-Danquah, a former government spokesperson, described the reforms as unpopular among grassroots members, warning they could damage the party’s internal democracy.
NPP National Treasurer Dr. Charles Dwamena (Dr. China) also issued a firm rejection:
“This proposal undermines our participatory structure. Our system works because legitimacy flows from the polling station upward. Starting at the top amputates the very limb that gives the party its footing.”
Although Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the party’s 2024 presidential candidate, remains the presumed frontrunner, he faces competition from Kennedy Agyapong, Joe Ghartey, Dr. Bryan Acheampong, and Boakye Agyarko.
As the 2026 primary approaches, the party now finds itself at a critical juncture—torn between a push for internal reform and the urgent need to rebuild unity ahead of the 2028 general elections.
