A group of members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has formally petitioned the party’s leadership, raising concerns over provisions in the guidelines governing the 2026 internal elections.
The petition, addressed to the General Secretary and copied to key bodies including the Functional Executive Committee (FEC) and National Executive Committee (NEC), challenges aspects of a recent directive that bars certain categories of public officeholders from contesting internal party positions.
The signatories—Sinare Toufique Sinare, Ibrahim Tuzee Abdul-Raheem, and Aminu Suleiman—argue that the restrictions violate fundamental civil and political rights guaranteed under the 1992 Constitution of Ghana. Specifically, they contend that preventing ministers, chief executive officers, and Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) from contesting party positions amounts to suppressing lawful political participation.
According to the petition, Article 12(1) of the Constitution obliges all institutions, including political parties, to uphold fundamental human rights. The petitioners further cite recommendations from the Committee of Experts on Ghana’s constitutional framework, emphasizing the right of citizens to participate in political activities and warning against actions that suppress such participation.
The group also questioned the consistency of the guideline with the party’s own constitution, particularly Article 40(2), which requires candidates for national executive roles to have prior experience in party or government positions. They described the new directive as contradictory, noting that it simultaneously values and restricts experience gained in government roles.
Beyond eligibility concerns, the petition highlights additional issues with the election guidelines. These include educational requirements for research committee members, which the petitioners argue may disadvantage rural branches, and age limits imposed on candidates for certain youth organizer positions.
The petitioners claim that the age restriction—capping eligibility at 40 years for some regional youth roles—could be discriminatory under Article 17 of the Constitution, which prohibits unequal treatment based on arbitrary classifications.
They have called on the party’s leadership to review and amend the contentious provisions, urging adherence to constitutional principles and the NDC’s founding ideals. The petition specifically requests an investigation by the FEC and further deliberation by the NEC, in line with internal dispute resolution procedures.
As of now, the leadership of the National Democratic Congress has not publicly responded to the petition. However, the development is expected to trigger internal discussions as the party prepares for its 2026 internal elections.
