A leaked audio recording circulating widely on social media has raised profound concerns about the credibility, safety, and integrity of the New Patriotic Party’s presidential flagbearer elections scheduled for Saturday, 31 January 2026.
In the recording, Mohammed Amin Fuseini Batani, identified as the “Be Bold Security Chairman,” is allegedly heard directing regional and constituency militia commanders to recruit at least fifty commandos per constituency and submit their names and phone numbers. He further claims that these instructions follow a meeting he allegedly held with Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and stresses the urgency of immediate action.
Additional video footage now in circulation appears to show individuals actively compiling and sharing the names and contact details of these alleged recruits from various constituencies across the country. The coordinated nature of these actions has heightened public anxiety and intensified scrutiny of the ongoing developments.
If verified, these actions would constitute a direct and serious violation of the operational guidelines issued by the NPP Elections Committee for the flagbearer elections, which expressly prohibit the presence or use of machomen, private militias, or any unauthorised persons at voting centres.
The allegations raise troubling questions about the intended purpose of this apparent mobilisation and whether the party’s internal electoral process is being exposed to intimidation or coercion. They have also revived memories of the Ablekuma North election rerun, during which machomen were reportedly seen entering voting centres and harassing voters while security personnel appeared unable or unwilling to intervene.
Beyond the internal dynamics of the party, the situation presents broader implications for public order and national security. It places renewed focus on the preparedness of the Ghana Police Service to enforce electoral laws and maintain neutrality in the face of organised non-state actors. From all indications, the conduct of the 31 January election risks departing from established norms unless decisive preventive measures are taken.
In light of these developments, there is an urgent need for the leadership of the New Patriotic Party, the NPP Elections Committee, the Electoral Commission of Ghana, and the Ghana Police Service to institute a thorough, transparent, and independent investigation into the allegations. Any failure to act promptly and decisively risks undermining public confidence in the integrity of the electoral process and eroding trust in the institutions mandated to safeguard it.
There is also a responsibility on all other presidential aspirants to openly draw the attention of relevant stakeholders to these developments. Silence in the face of allegations that threaten the credibility of the party’s democratic processes would only deepen public mistrust and heighten tensions ahead of the vote.
The integrity of the NPP’s flagbearer election, and by extension confidence in democratic competition, depends on swift action to ensure that intimidation, unauthorised force, or organised violence has no place in the process.
