The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has taken a decisive constitutional step ahead of its January 31 presidential primary by removing former Gender, Children and Social Protection Minister and Agona West MP, Cynthia Morrison, from its official delegates’ album and declaring 262 delegates associated with her in the constituency ineligible to vote.

The decision was taken by the party’s Presidential Election Committee as part of broader internal measures to sanitise the electoral roll and enforce party discipline in the lead-up to the highly anticipated flagbearer contest.

Party sources say the move forms part of a nationwide verification exercise aimed at protecting the integrity of the primary and preventing disputes on voting eligibility.

Cynthia Morrison’s removal is rooted in events surrounding the 2024 general election. After losing the NPP parliamentary primary in April 2024 to Chris Arthur, Morrison chose to contest the Agona West parliamentary seat as an Independent candidate.

That decision proved costly for the governing party, as the split in votes ultimately paved the way for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to win the seat in the general election.

NPP General Secretary Justin Kodua Frimpong has explained that the action taken against Morrison and the affected delegates is not discretionary but constitutional.

He cited Article 3(9)(1) of the party’s constitution, which stipulates that any member who contests an election as an Independent automatically forfeits their NPP membership and, by extension, loses the right to participate in internal party elections, including presidential primaries.

The Chair of the Presidential Election Committee has also defended the decision, stressing that consistent enforcement of party rules is necessary to strengthen discipline, rebuild internal cohesion and safeguard the credibility of the NPP’s electoral processes ahead of future national contests.

Reactions within Agona West have been mixed. Some party supporters have welcomed the move, describing it as a clear signal that breaches of party loyalty will attract firm sanctions.

Others, however, have raised concerns about growing internal tensions within the NPP, particularly when compared to how similar post-primary disputes have been managed by the opposition NDC.

Meanwhile, preparations for the January 31 primary are progressing nationwide. Information available indicates that all 276 constituency albums have been compiled and submitted to regional electoral offices and are awaiting onward distribution to district offices.

The final albums, together with updated records of deceased members and delegates who have forfeited their rights, were submitted to the party’s national headquarters in Accra on January 24.

The NPP is expected to go into the presidential primary with heightened focus on order, discipline and unity, as the party seeks to elect a flagbearer capable of leading it into the next general election amid intense political competition.