NDC Tightens Rules For Party Positions And Public Office
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has reaffirmed its directive that government appointees seeking to contest the party’s upcoming executive elections must first resign from their public offices, insisting that no exceptions will be granted to the rule.
The party says the requirement remains a non-negotiable condition for eligibility, warning that any individual who continues to occupy a government appointment at the time of the elections will automatically be disqualified from contesting.
Acting IT Director of the NDC, Jibril Mahdi, on Citi News Digest, stressed that the party’s constitution and electoral guidelines would be strictly enforced as preparations intensify for the next phase of its internal elections.
According to him, holding a government appointment and simultaneously contesting for a party executive position is incompatible with the party’s established rules. “Whoever is in office is not qualified to contest our elections,” he stated, emphasizing that the directive remains fully in force.
Mr. Mahdi explained that, although reports of resignations have been circulating publicly, the party headquarters has yet to receive official notifications from most of the individuals said to have stepped down.
He noted that because the NDC is not the appointing authority for government positions, it can only recognize resignations once the appropriate documentation is formally submitted during the nomination and vetting process. “Officially, we have not received any notice from anybody that has resigned. Whatever we are hearing is based on information circulating on social media because, at party headquarters, we are not the appointing authority,” he said.
Despite the absence of formal notifications in many cases, Mr. Mahdi confirmed that some resignations have already taken place. Among those he mentioned were the NDC’s Eastern Regional Chairman, the Eastern Regional Communications Officer, and Leland Tay, who is seeking to contest the party’s National Chairman position.
He also dismissed suggestions that some aspirants could be granted waivers to remain in government while contesting, stating that no formal requests for exemptions had been submitted and that the party had not contemplated relaxing the rule. “For now, whoever is still in office is automatically ineligible to contest as it stands,” he added.
The reaffirmation of the policy is expected to greatly shape the ambitions of a number of government officials believed to be considering bids for key party executive positions while retaining their public appointments.
The NDC is currently advancing its internal electoral process following the completion of branch-level elections and is preparing for subsequent stages of the party’s electoral calendar, including nominations, vetting and the election of national and regional executives. Adherence to the established guidelines is said to ensure transparency, fairness and equal treatment for all aspirants.
Source: Citi News Digest
Author: Joyce Owusu
