Following the amendment of the constitution of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), making its presidential candidate/flagbearer the leader of the party, while in opposition and the President leading, when the party is in government, there has been some public reaction as to who will provide checks on the leader.
Responding in a radio interview on Joy FM on Monday morning, a former Speaker of Parliament, Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye said the National Council, Council of Elders and National Executive Committee will provide checks on the party’s leader.
Professor Oquaye, a political scientist and former Member of Parliament for Dome Kwabenya on the ticket of the NPP said the party had previously taken action against a chairman when some people thought such action was impossible.
“It is possible with us,” he said.
New arrangement
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The approved amendment provides that when the party has an elected presidential candidate, the candidate becomes the leader of the party. When the party is in government, the President remains the leader until a presidential candidate is elected.
The amendment reverses a clause introduced at the party’s January 31, 2026 conference, which made the National Chairman the party leader at all times.
Dr Mahamudu Bawumia is the NPP’s flagbearer for the 2028 general election.
Delegates approved all 14 proposed amendments, despite an earlier call by the Acting National Chairman, Joseph Danquah Smith, for the proposals to be deferred.
The Chairman of the Constitution Amendment Committee, Frank Davies, said the changes were necessary because of “acts of omission and commission” associated with the party’s previous amendment in 2025.
Council of Elders
Two of the approved amendments also deal with oversight within the party.
One increases the Council of Elders’ representation on the National Disciplinary Committee from one member to two.
Another provides for the presidential candidate to appoint the chairperson and members of the National Campaign Advisory Committee, subject to approval by the National Council.
Before the conference, the Council of Elders had proposed that it advise the National Council on matters affecting the flagbearer.
It also proposed that a newly elected flagbearer appear before the council for advice on campaign strategy.
Those proposals were not among the 14 approved motions published by the party.
Why the change
Professor Oquaye said the amendment reflected the reality within the party.
He said when the NPP was in government, the President was the party’s leader because he led the country, while the flagbearer carried the party’s banner into an election.
He said people who wanted to support the party or make contributions often approached the flagbearer, even when the party had a chairman.
