What was expected to be a delegate-focused New Patriotic Party (NPP) Annual Conference turned to a hijack of party systems resulting in the presence of thousands of non-delegates allegedly bused in to cheer former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.
The conference, which officially invited 5,500 accredited delegates, shockingly recorded a crowd that surged beyond 10,000 — filling the University of Ghana Sports Stadium and spilling into surrounding walkways and open spaces. This significant overcapacity has sparked serious accusations of manipulation, with fingers pointed squarely at the party’s National Organizer, Nana Boakye, popularly known as Nana B.
Aspirants contesting in the party’s upcoming January 2026 presidential primaries are privately fuming over what they perceive as a deliberate attempt to create the illusion of overwhelming support for the former Vice President. The busing of an estimated 3,000 or more unaccredited individuals — many clad in Bawumia-branded t-shirts — has been described as a brazen abuse of party machinery to tilt perceptions ahead of a highly anticipated internal contest.
Adding fuel to the fire, a number of individuals clearly identifiable as Bawumia supporters were seen wearing “Operations” badges, giving them unrestricted access to sensitive areas around the stadium. Eyewitnesses also observed several of these supposed “operations staff” actively leading cheers, waving flags, and coordinating crowd responses in favour of Dr. Bawumia — raising eyebrows about whether operational roles were being misused as cover for campaign surrogates.
The situation has cast a shadow over the conference’s integrity, especially given the party’s own directive ahead of the event that barred the wearing of branded paraphernalia or open endorsement of aspirants. That rule, aimed at preserving neutrality and discipline, appears to have been flouted with impunity by those aligned with the former Vice President’s campaign.
The conspicuous overrepresentation of Bawumia loyalists, especially in a setting intended for official party business and strategic planning, has deepened suspicions among other camps. While the party has yet to issue a formal explanation for the unexpected numbers and apparent breaches of protocol, many are demanding answers — particularly from Nana B, whose role in coordinating logistics has come under intense scrutiny.
What was intended to be a united front has now become yet another flashpoint in the NPP’s increasingly contentious march toward selecting its next presidential candidate. If left unchecked, the perception that the playing field is being skewed in favour of one aspirant could have damaging consequences for party cohesion and credibility heading into the 2026 elections.
As the party prepares towards the 2026 internal elections, leadership faces growing pressure to rein in the excesses and restore confidence in the internal processes it claims to protect. But if happenings at the Delegates Conference is anything to go by, the system may be deliberately skewed to favor one candidate, which throws the party’s rebuilding efforts into disarray.
