The rerun of the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) constituency executive elections in Bantama has reopened questions about the party’s internal electoral processes, with Member of Parliament Francis Asenso-Boakye publicly challenging the decision to annul the earlier election.
Speaking to journalists on Saturday, August 8, during the rerun, the Bantama MP said he remained unconvinced that there were sufficient grounds for the cancellation of the original polls held on July 12, 2026.
According to Asenso-Boakye, the election was conducted peacefully and without major disturbances, making the annulment difficult to justify.
“I am disappointed because I didn’t see the need, because the process was smooth. But the cancellation won’t change anything today,” he said.
Confidence in Delegates’ Choice
Despite his reservations about the party’s decision, Asenso-Boakye stressed that he would fully accept the outcome of the rerun and work with whichever executives emerged victorious.
He expressed confidence that the election would proceed peacefully and produce a leadership team capable of strengthening the party’s organisation in the constituency.
The MP said the focus should remain on unity and building effective constituency structures as the NPP prepares for future political contests.
Annulment Triggered by Alleged Rule Breaches
The Bantama rerun follows a decision by the NPP on July 15 to cancel constituency executive elections in Bantama, Afigya Sekyere East and Adansi Asokwa in the Ashanti Region.
In announcing the annulment, the party said the elections had been conducted in violation of its directives and the regulations governing the 2026 Constituency Executive Elections.
The NPP also indicated that some of the affected constituencies were subject to existing court orders.
According to the party, the elections were held “in flagrant disregard of Party directives, the Rules and Regulations governing the 2026 Constituency Executive Elections, and, where applicable, subsisting court orders.”
Internal Party Governance in Focus
The disagreement highlights the tension that can arise between party disciplinary decisions and the views of local political leaders.
While the NPP leadership maintains that adherence to party rules is essential to protecting the integrity of its internal elections, Asenso-Boakye’s comments suggest that some party stakeholders believe the Bantama election did not warrant cancellation.
The rerun election is expected to determine a new set of constituency executives who will play a key role in organising the party at the local level and preparing for future electoral activities in one of the NPP’s traditional strongholds in the Ashanti Region.
