Asiedu Nketiah opts out of NDC chairmanship race amid flagbearership speculation

National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, will not seek re-election, a decision that has heightened speculation that he intends to contest the party’s flagbearership in 2027.

Nominations for the party’s national executive positions closed last Wednesday, with 137 aspirants picking up nomination forms to contest various positions.

Five aspirants are seeking to succeed Mr Asiedu Nketiah as national chairman. They are Edwin Nii Landerpuije, Nii Armah Ashietey, former National Chairman Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, National Vice Chairman Sofo Azorka and Akwasi Opong-Fosu. Some party members picked up nomination forms on behalf of Mr Ofosu Ampofo.

The incumbent General Secretary, Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, is also seeking to retain his position and will face competition from Stephen Donkor.

The Spokesperson for the NDC Congress Elections Committee, Dr Peter Boamah Otokunor, told the media that aspirants had 14 days to complete and submit their nomination forms, pay the required filing fees and satisfy the endorsement requirements.

He said the process was being conducted in accordance with Sections 10 and 15 of the 2026 guidelines for the party’s national congress.

The Functional Executive Committee (FEC) has approved filing fees for 14 national executive positions, with the national chairmanship attracting the highest fee of GH¢100,000.

Under the approved schedule, aspirants seeking the position of national vice chairman will pay GH¢60,000, while those contesting for general secretary and national organiser will pay GH¢80,000 and GH¢70,000, respectively.

The deputy general secretary positions attract filing fees of GH¢60,000, while aspirants seeking the national communications officer position will pay GH¢50,000.

The national youth organiser and national Zongo caucus coordinator positions each attract a fee of GH¢40,000.

Aspirants contesting for deputy national organiser, deputy national communications officer and deputy national youth organiser will each pay GH¢30,000. The same fee applies to the national women’s organiser and deputy national women’s organiser positions, subject to special provisions for female candidates who are challenged.

Membership of the National Executive Committee carries the lowest filing fee of GH¢10,000.

In addition to the filing fees, all aspirants are required to pay GH¢2,000 to obtain nomination forms. Payments are to be made online through the party’s designated platform, forms.ghanandc.com.

The approved fee structure also provides concessions for female candidates and persons with disabilities (PWDs), who are required to pay 50 per cent of the prescribed filing fees for all positions, except the national women’s organiser and deputy national women’s organiser positions.

Dr Otokunor said vetting for aspirants seeking national executive positions had been scheduled for November 12 and 13, 2026.

The appeals process will take place from November 15 to 16, while the youth and women’s conference is scheduled for December 12, 2026.

The party’s national congress, at which national executives will be elected, is expected to take place on December 19, 2026.