The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has confirmed that Ghana Digital Centres Limited CEO Dzifa Gunu was disqualified from the La Dadekotopon Constituency Secretary race. According to the NDC's Acting Director of Elections and IT, Mahdi Gibril, Gunu failed to meet the party's six-month resignation requirement before filing. This requirement is a crucial part of the party's internal election guidelines. Gunu, a senior government appointee, has since appealed the disqualification decision.
Gunu's disqualification was confirmed by Mahdi Gibril in remarks to Citi News. The regional elections committee had formally written to Gunu to inform him of the decision. Gibril explained that the party's guidelines require aspiring candidates to resign from their current position at least six months before filing a nomination. Gunu, who heads Ghana Digital Centres Limited, had not met that condition by the time he submitted his nomination forms.
Gunu argued that his appointment fell under the appointing authority's jurisdiction and that he had already submitted a resignation letter to that authority. The committee gave him additional time to furnish documentary proof of that resignation. However, instead of providing the requested evidence, Gunu wrote to the committee seeking clarity on his status without attaching any supporting records. This led to his disqualification from the race.
Gunu has since appealed against his disqualification, hoping to have the ruling reversed. According to Gibril, all disqualified candidates are entitled to pursue this channel. The appeal process is a standard procedure within the party, allowing candidates to contest the decisions made by the elections committee.
The NDC's online portal for picking nomination forms for the constituency elections was set to open on Tuesday, 6 October, 2026, and remained open through 8 October, 2026. This allows other interested candidates to file their nominations and participate in the elections. The party is expected to continue with its internal elections process, adhering to its guidelines and timelines.
The disqualification of Gunu has sparked interest in the internal elections of the NDC. The party's guidelines are in place to ensure that candidates are eligible and have met the necessary requirements. The outcome of Gunu's appeal and the subsequent elections will be closely watched by party members and observers.
The incident has also raised questions about the eligibility of other candidates and the party's internal elections process. The NDC's commitment to transparency and fairness in its elections will be crucial in determining the credibility of the outcome. The party's leadership will need to ensure that the process is conducted in a manner that is acceptable to all stakeholders.
Key points
- NDC requires candidates to resign from their current position at least six months before filing a nomination.
- Dzifa Gunu has appealed against his disqualification from the La Dadekotopon Constituency Secretary race.
- The NDC's internal elections process is expected to continue with the online portal for picking nomination forms opening on 6 October 2026.
