The Acting Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Smith Danquah Buttey, has announced a ban on all party executives and sitting Members of Parliament (MPs) from openly endorsing or campaigning for any of the presidential aspirants ahead of the party’s upcoming primary.

Speaking on Pure FM, Chairman Buttey explained that the decision was reached after a high-level meeting between the party’s former leader, H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, and the five presidential hopefuls vying to lead the NPP into the 2028 general elections.

According to him, the directive aims to ensure fairness, discipline, and unity as the NPP prepares for its presidential primary scheduled for January 31, 2026.

“NPP executives and sitting MPs have been banned from openly campaigning for any presidential aspirant ahead of the primaries,” Mr. Buttey stated, stressing that the move was one of the major outcomes of the former President’s engagement with the aspirants.

He added that former President Akufo-Addo used the meeting to encourage all aspirants to conduct their campaigns with decorum, emphasising that mutual respect and adherence to party values are essential to preserving unity within the NPP.

“Former President Akufo-Addo called on the aspirants to comport themselves ahead of the January 31 primaries,” Mr Buttey reiterated.

The Acting Chairman further highlighted that maintaining peace, discipline, and cohesion during the campaign period is crucial to ensuring that the party emerges stronger and united after the primaries.

He urged all members, executives, and MPs to strictly adhere to the directive and focus on mobilising support to strengthen the party’s grassroots structures as preparations intensify for the 2028 national elections.

The NPP’s upcoming presidential primaries are expected to be closely contested, with five aspirants currently in the race to succeed Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as the party’s presidential candidate.