The General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Fiifi Fiavi Kwetey, has warned aspirants and their supporters against electoral malpractice, intimidation and violence ahead of the party’s constituency executive elections scheduled for October 24 and 25, 2026.
He said the party would strictly enforce its electoral rules to ensure that the exercise was conducted in a peaceful, transparent, credible and orderly manner across the country’s 276 constituencies.
Mr Kwetey gave the assurance at a press briefing at the party’s national headquarters, the J.J. Rawlings House, where he outlined the arrangements put in place to guide the nationwide elections.
He cautioned that the party’s leadership would not tolerate attempts by any aspirant or supporter to manipulate the process, intimidate delegates, interfere with election officials or undermine the free expression of voters’ choices.
According to him, the forthcoming elections present another opportunity for the NDC to demonstrate its commitment to democratic principles and responsible political organisation.
“As a governing party, we recognise that our conduct must reflect the democratic standards we uphold in public life,” he stated.
He stressed that the party’s internal elections must be characterised by fair competition, strict adherence to established procedures and the peaceful resolution of disagreements.
16,468 APPLICATIONS RECORDED
Providing an update on preparations for the elections, Mr Kwetey disclosed that the party had recorded a total of 16,468 applications for constituency-level executive positions across the 16 regions and 276 constituencies.
Out of the total, 15,049 applications, representing approximately 91.4 per cent, had been submitted, while 1,419 applications, representing 8.6 per cent, remained in draft form.
He added that 370 records had been identified as incomplete and required further attention to ensure the accuracy and integrity of the party’s electoral data.
Female applicants accounted for 16 per cent of the reported applications, an indication of women’s participation in the contest for leadership positions within the party.
Mr Kwetey said the figures reflected considerable interest among party members in constituency leadership and their willingness to participate in shaping the NDC’s organisational future.
He explained that the constituency elections formed part of a broader internal reorganisation exercise that began with membership registration, followed by the exhibition and validation of the membership register and the election of branch executives nationwide.
The party has already conducted elections across more than 40,600 branches, with Mr Kwetey describing the process as largely peaceful.
He expressed confidence that the experience gained from the branch elections would help the party manage the constituency-level exercise successfully.
265 CONSTITUENCIES TO VOTE ON SATURDAY
Under the approved timetable announced by the General Secretary, 265 constituencies, representing approximately 96 per cent of the total, are expected to conduct their elections on Saturday, October 24, 2026.
The remaining 11 constituencies are scheduled to hold their elections on Sunday, October 25, 2026.
Mr Kwetey said the party’s election directorate was working with the relevant structures to ensure that the exercise proceeded smoothly in accordance with the approved arrangements.
He disclosed that the Electoral Commission (EC) would conduct and supervise the elections, with support from the respective constituency election committees.
He urged members of the election committees to discharge their responsibilities professionally, impartially and without favouritism.
He also called on aspirants to respect election officials and comply with the prescribed procedures, warning that any attempt to undermine the credibility of the process would be unacceptable.
“The rules must apply equally to everyone,” he stressed.
The General Secretary maintained that the credibility of the elections depended largely on the willingness of all stakeholders to respect the rules and allow delegates to make their choices without fear or undue influence.
NO PROXY VOTING
In a move aimed at protecting the integrity of the voting process, Mr Kwetey outlined four key protocols that would govern the constituency elections.
First, he declared that proxy voting would not be permitted, insisting that every eligible delegate must be physically present to cast their ballot.
No individual would be allowed to vote on behalf of another delegate, he emphasised.
Second, delegates would be required to present approved identification documents for verification and validation before voting.
The identification documents mentioned at the briefing included a valid voter identification card, the party’s plastic membership identification card and the Ghana Card.
Third, ballots for the women’s and youth conferences would be kept securely and counted only after the main constituency executive elections had concluded.
Fourth, tally voting would not be permitted for the other eight positions, with each delegate entitled to only one vote in respect of those positions.
Mr Kwetey urged delegates and election officials to familiarise themselves with the rules and ensure that they were applied consistently at all voting centres.
He said strict compliance with the protocols was necessary to prevent electoral irregularities, protect the rights of delegates and ensure that the outcome reflected their genuine choices.
The party’s leadership, he indicated, expected all aspirants to compete on a level playing field without resorting to practices capable of compromising the process.
POLICE TO HANDLE SECURITY
On security, Mr Kwetey announced that the Ghana Police Service would have sole responsibility for security at the election centres.
He said the police would be responsible for maintaining law and order, protecting lives and property, preventing intimidation and violence, and ensuring that delegates could exercise their voting rights in a safe environment.
He further stated that personal security details accompanying government officials, political officeholders and other individuals would not be permitted within the voting areas.
The directive, he explained, was intended to prevent the use of public office, personal influence or security personnel to intimidate delegates or interfere with the electoral process.
Mr Kwetey warned that threats, assaults, obstruction of election officials and disruptions to voting would not be tolerated.
He added that anyone whose conduct violated the law would be dealt with through the appropriate legal processes.
He cautioned aspirants and their supporters against allowing the contest for party positions to degenerate into violence, describing such behaviour as inimical to the party’s unity and democratic credentials.
“No position within the party is worth the injury of a colleague, the destruction of property or the tarnishing of the party’s reputation,” he stated.
He urged all contestants to recognise that, despite their differences in ambition, they remained members of the same political organisation and must be prepared to work together after the elections.
According to him, the objective should be to compete vigorously, vote freely and respect the collective will of the delegates.
MEDIA CAUTIONED AGAINST SENSATIONALISM
The NDC General Secretary also called on media organisations to exercise professionalism and responsibility in their coverage of the constituency elections.
He acknowledged the media’s important role in promoting transparency and keeping the public informed but cautioned journalists against presenting speculation as established fact.
He urged media practitioners to report accurately and impartially on the conduct of the elections, delegate participation and any verified incidents that might arise.
Mr Kwetey said sensational reporting capable of heightening tensions among aspirants and their supporters should be avoided.
He assured the media and the general public that the party remained prepared to provide clarification through its authorised channels whenever questions or concerns arose.
He also appealed to members of the public to support the peaceful conduct of the elections, noting that credible internal party elections were important to strengthening Ghana’s democratic culture.
PARTY INTEREST ABOVE PERSONAL AMBITION
In his concluding remarks, Mr Kwetey urged aspirants to approach the contest with maturity, delegates to exercise their voting rights responsibly and election officials to remain impartial in the discharge of their duties.
He called on party members to place the collective interest of the NDC above personal ambitions and cooperate with the Electoral Commission, constituency election committees and the Ghana Police Service to ensure a successful exercise.
He said the party had a responsibility to demonstrate that it could organise a nationwide electoral process that was orderly, transparent, peaceful and credible, regardless of the intensity of competition among its members.
Mr Kwetey expressed confidence that the experience acquired from the branch elections would help guide the constituency-level exercise and strengthen the party’s organisational structures.
He stressed that the strength of the NDC lay not only in its membership numbers but also in its extensive grassroots presence and ability to uphold democratic principles during periods of intense internal competition.
“The party is bigger than every single individual in the party,” he declared.
He urged members to reject violence, intimidation, misinformation and all practices capable of undermining the electoral process.
The General Secretary expressed the hope that the elections would produce leaders who enjoyed the confidence of delegates and leave the party stronger, more united and better prepared for its future political responsibilities.
He wished all aspirants well and called on them and their supporters to demonstrate discipline, fairness and respect for the democratic rights of every eligible delegate.
The party’s position, he reiterated, was that the pursuit of internal leadership positions must never be allowed to compromise the unity, credibility and collective interests of the NDC.
