The opposition party has set a GH¢5,000 fee, a vetting process and a continuing ban on campaigning as it begins choosing candidates for all 276 constituencies.
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has started the process of picking the people who will carry its flag in Parliament at the 2028 general elections.
In a statement dated Thursday, October 29, 2026, the party told members who want to contest a parliamentary seat to declare their interest between Sunday, November 1 and Tuesday, November 10, 2026. That gives aspirants a window of just ten days.
The statement, reported by Ghanaian Times, was signed by the party's Communications Director, Dennis Miracles Aboagye.
How to apply
All declarations must be made through an online form, which must be completed within the stated period. Each aspirant will pay a non-refundable application fee of GH¢5,000.
After the window closes, applicants will be vetted and screened to confirm whether they qualify to stand on the party's ticket.
Importantly, the rules apply to everyone. The NPP said sitting Members of Parliament on its side of the House who want to defend their seats must go through the same process as newcomers.
The party is preparing to select candidates for all 276 constituencies in the country.
No campaigning yet
The NPP repeated its standing instruction that aspirants must not begin campaigning simply because applications are open. The ban on campaign activity stays in place until the party gives formal clearance.
Anyone who breaks that directive will face sanctions under the party's constitution and internal regulations, the statement warned.
The party also appealed to aspirants to be disciplined and to treat one another with respect through the process, saying the guidelines are meant to ensure fairness, transparency and equal chances for everybody who applies.
Training in December
The NPP plans to run capacity-building workshops for prospective candidates in December 2026. These will be organised in three zones — Northern, Middle and Southern. Venues will be announced later.
The party said the wider goal of the exercise is to hold its ranks together and win back public trust before the 2028 polls.
Why it matters
The NPP lost power at the 2024 elections, and internal selection contests are often where a party's divisions show most clearly. By starting candidate selection more than two years before the vote, the leadership is giving itself time to settle disputes early rather than close to the election.
For Ghanaians in the United States and elsewhere abroad who follow constituency politics closely — and who are often asked to support campaigns financially — the ten-day declaration window and the continuing ban on campaigning are worth noting. Aspirants who move too early risk sanctions before the real contest begins.
The party has not yet said when primaries themselves will be held.
