NPP cautions USA branch over internal election rules

The New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee has firmly pushed back against attempts by the party’s USA branch to challenge rules governing internal elections, insisting that no branch can place its bylaws above the party’s constitution.

In a decision that underscores growing tensions between the national leadership and some external branches, the committee directed the NPP-USA branch to comply fully with rules approved by the party’s National Council and National Executive Committee (NEC) for the conduct of internal elections.

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The committee also advised the branch to channel any concerns about constitutional reforms through the party’s laid-down processes instead of attempting to bypass the national structure.

The development follows a memorandum submitted by the NPP-USA branch on May 28, 2026, to the party’s General Secretary, Justin Kodua Frimpong, questioning the constitutionality of portions of the regulations governing elections in external branches.

The concerns were later referred to the Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee for legal interpretation and advice.

After reviewing the petition, the committee maintained that the party’s constitution remains the highest authority within the NPP and supersedes all branch-level regulations.

“Any bylaw inconsistent with the constitution is unenforceable to the extent of the inconsistency; the two-year good-standing requirement for voting is constitutionally binding; branch bylaws cannot alter constitutional qualifications for party office,” the committee, chaired by Frank Davis with Gary Nimako as Secretary, said in its decision.

The committee further stressed that decisions taken by the National Council and NEC are binding on all branches, including those outside Ghana.

“The NPP-USA branch remains constitutionally bound by the constitution of the NPP and all lawful directives issued pursuant thereto,” it stated.

The legal body also dismissed suggestions by the USA branch that the National Council and NEC lacked the authority to regulate branch elections, describing that position as inconsistent with the party’s constitutional framework.

According to the committee, the NPP’s structure is built on discipline, collective responsibility and respect for authority.

“The constitutional framework of the party is founded upon discipline, collective responsibility and respect for duly constituted authority,” the committee noted.

While acknowledging the branch’s argument that it must comply with laws governing not-for-profit organisations in the State of New York, the committee insisted that such obligations do not override the NPP constitution.

“The committee agrees that NPP-USA Inc. must comply with all applicable laws of the United States and the State of New York. However, compliance with local corporate laws does not exempt the branch from its obligations under the constitution of the New Patriotic Party,” it stated.

In what appears to be a warning against possible future conflicts, the committee reminded the USA branch that decisions taken by superior organs of the party take precedence over directives issued by subordinate bodies.

“Consequently, where a decision, rule, regulation or directive issued by a subordinate body conflicts with a decision or directive of a superior body acting within its lawful authority, the decision of the superior body prevails and the inconsistent decision of the subordinate body becomes inoperative to the extent of the inconsistency,” it stated.

NA/VPO