Osei Owusu Urges Voters to “Vote and Leave” as NPP Chairman Reflects on DDEP’s Impact on Middle-Class Support

The Chairman of the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Presidential Elections Committee, Joseph Osei Owusu, has emphasised strict electoral conduct for the party’s upcoming presidential primaries, urging delegates to vote and immediately leave polling centres to ensure peaceful and orderly proceedings.

Speaking in an interview on Tuesday, Mr. Osei Owusu said the directive is part of the party’s internal rules for the January 31, 2026 presidential candidate selection process. He highlighted that no group gatherings, communal waiting areas, or post-voting gatherings will be permitted at polling locations. 

“In our party’s rules, one thing we have insisted on is that on that day, we will not expect any group to congregate anywhere. You walk in, vote and leave,” Mr. Osei Owusu stated, emphasising that the measure is designed to prevent disorder and maintain the integrity of the voting process. 

The directive also discourages bussing delegates between centres and prohibits any form of group assembly under sheds or canopies while elections are underway. 

Reflecting on 2024 defeat — DDEP and middle class disenchantment

Mr. Osei Owusu also addressed the New Patriotic Party’s performance in the 2024 general elections, acknowledging that the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP) had a significant political impact, particularly on Ghana’s middle-class voters.

He admitted that the party had underestimated the extent to which the DDEP — a government initiative aimed at restructuring Ghana’s domestic debt — would influence voter sentiment. “We underestimated it; I particularly underestimated it,” he said, referring to the visible discontent among affected groups, especially middle-class professionals who were hit hard by the programme’s economic consequences. 

Mr. Osei Owusu suggested that the resulting visible public dissatisfaction and protests should have served as a stronger indicator of growing voter discontent ahead of the elections. 

Despite these challenges, he reiterated the party’s commitment to regroup and rebuild in preparation for future elections, stressing the importance of analysing lessons from the past electoral cycle to strengthen public confidence. 

The NPP will now focus on concluding its presidential primaries with rigorous adherence to internal electoral rules and a strategic effort to recover and broaden its support base.