By: Johannes Jafo Akunatu [0247019099; akjafo@gmail.com
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) in Damongo is on a crucial juncture. Delegates are to elect constituency executives on 24 and 25 October 2026 which will guide the party for 2038 general elections. These are my thoughts about this election going beyond who is going to be in office. It should be an opportunity to examine the party’s performance, ask difficult questions and decide what needs to change.
For the last two terms, the NDC has demonstrated that it can attract considerable presidential support in Damongo constituency. What has been difficult is to translate that support into a parliamentary success. However, if the party does not address this issue openly, they are likely to make the same errors again.
Results from the 2024 elections are a welcome indicator. The figures quoted in this article show that John Dramani Mahama, the NDC presidential candidate, won 17,875 votes (60.92 per cent) in Damongo constituency while the NDC parliamentary candidate, Adam Mutawakilu, had 14,425 votes. Mutawakilu trailed behind NPP’s Samuel Abu Jinapor, who polled 16,222 votes, by 1,797.
Those figures raise an important question. Why did the NDC’s presidential performance not translate into victory in the parliamentary contest? Voters may make different choices in presidential and parliamentary elections for several reasons. But I don’t think the party can wave that gap away. The constituency leadership owes delegates an account of what went wrong, and of what has been done about it since.
This is where accountability becomes necessary. The party was put under the wing of the constituency executives for its organisation and strengthening. Their duties involved maintaining the presence of branches, organising polling-station activities and disseminating the party’s message and rousing party supporters. It’s not a win-win proposition, but these are the key responsibilities for laying the groundwork of a party that can be competitive.
It would be a challenge to believe such a scenario in which the President’s victory is attributed to the constituency leadership, while the parliamentary one is attributed to someone else. When the primary responsibility of constituency executives is to secure the parliamentary seat for the party Both are worth of consideration. If the executives feel that beyond their control, they contributed significantly to the parliamentary defeat, they should give reasons for that.
There is no reason why delegates should need to be dependent on rumours, campaign promises and charges thrown between competing groups. They should have a straightforward explanation on how the constituency was handled before, during and after the election.
Also, the were controversies over the results of the parliamentary election of 2024. Following the declaration, the party’s parliamentary candidate raised concerns about missing ballot booklets, alleged over-voting at 13 polling stations and disagreements over the collation process. Allegations of that weight could not simply be left to fade away.
Still, an allegation is only an allegation until somebody proves it. What matters now is what the party did next. Was there a proper review, a written record of what happened and a list of lessons for the next election? If one was held, the public, especially NDC faithfuls should hear what it found. If it was not, constituency executives should explain why.
An internal election review should not be about finding convenient people to blame. The point is to find where the party’s own systems let it down and to explain how they can be mended. Some fixes are simple. Records can be kept properly. Polling-station executives should be adequately equipped and clearly informed of their responsibilities. Branches should also receive regular visits to monitor progress, address challenges and ensure that party structures remain active throughout every year.
The 2024 controversy should not be something the party remembers only when internal campaigns begin. Whatever the final findings may be, the experience should help the NDC prepare better for the next general election.
The party’s reorganisation for 2026 is also a time to be mindful of the purpose of internal elections. Reorganisation should make the party stronger, better in participation and enable members to evaluate if their current party leaders have performed their duties as expected. It should not be seen as an exercise in protecting incumbents due to their years in office.
Experience matters, but experience alone is not a record of achievement. A person may have served the party for a long time and still need to demonstrate the impact of their service. Delegates should measure every candidate against what the position demands and against whatever they have already contributed.
So the delegates’ main test is plain. Is the NDC party better organised today than on the day the present executives took over?
Lets onsider the constituency organiser. Attending every meeting and party event may create the impression of being active, but attendance alone does not prove that an executive is fulfilling his responsibilities. Real organisation goes beyond showing up. It means branches that function, membership records that are accurate and polling-station executives who understand their roles long before every election. If serious organisation only begins when an election is approaching, then you are not building a strong party. You are simply preparing for the next campaign.
I believe the incumbent organiser owes delegates answers to a few plain questions. Which polling stations did well for the NDC in 2024, and where did the party lost ground? Once the results were declared, what did the constituency leadership tell the branches? What weaknesses did the election expose, and what has been done about them? Most importantly, is there a 2028 plan that members can read, understand and hold the leadership to?
None of this is a personal attack. An organiser should be judged on work done and results achieved, not on attendance at meetings or appearances in public. Where the work was done, there should be evidence. Where there are shortcomings, delegates deserve an honest explanation. Executives are elected to make the party better organised and ready to win elections, not to fill seats.
The same standard must apply to the constituency secretary.
The secretary’s office is not just about writing minutes or sending out notices. It is where the party keeps records of its decisions and activities. Minutes, official letters, membership registers and branch reports should be kept properly and stay within easy reach of authorised members. When they go missing, or turn out incomplete or unreliable, the whole party pays for it. Decisions get lost, follow-ups stall, and nobody can say for certain whether agreed actions were carried out.
Delegates therefore need to look closely at the work the secretariat has done during this term. Are records properly kept? Are decisions communicated to the branches on time? Are branch reports collected and safely maintained? If the secretary were asked today to account for the term, could he give a clear and honest report? Delegates are not asking for much. These are basic duties of the office, and they have a right to know whether those duties were met.
Anyone asking for another term should expect these questions. Many years in an office do not, on their own, make the case for more years.
The purpose of this reorganization is not to dismiss the sacrifices made by party activists. Many have given their time and their own money to the NDC, often with nothing in return. That commitment deserves recognition. But appreciation for past service should not prevent the party from asking whether its leadership has achieved the results expected of it.
We must also move away from the idea that calling for a change in leadership means you hate those currently in office. That is not what internal elections are about. The allow members assess their leaders and decide whether each has earned another term or whether someone else should have a turn. Calling for new leadership does not condemn everything the current executives has done. It means acknowledging what has worked, admitting what has not, and giving fresh ideas and new people room to strengthen the party.
Young people, women and grassroots activists need a stronger voice in the party’s decision-making. They deal with voters daily and often hear complaints long before the constituency leadership does. They know the ground because they are on ground. Ignore them and the party loses their loyalty, along with the ideas and energy they bring. By the time the leadership sees a problem, the damage may already be done. A party that wants to win must listen to its people, above all those closest to the grassroots.
As the Damongo constituency election approaches, delegates must also pay attention to the messages being used by candidates. If the Municipal Chief Executive will be blamed for all the problems in the party, for instance, it will not do justice on the performance of the constituency executives. If there is evidence of interference, or there is a real administrative problem, then it should be presented and it should be discussed there. Political charges, however, should not be the substitute for a study of the duties that go with each office.
Parliamentary figures for 2024 should be at the heart of the discussion. The NDC did not win the parliamentary seat despite gaining massive presidential backing. That is not an explanation that can be provided through evidence, but rather through selective accounts which serve to protect individual reputations.
Delegates should demand a thorough review of the 2024 results, with a close look at how the party performed at each polling station. They should ask whether the complaints raised after the election were investigated and whether anything has changed since. Above all, they should expect a clear plan to rebuild the party, not promises of change. The plan must state what needs to be done, who is responsible for each task and when it will conclude. It must also include a way to measure progress and hold people to account. Rebuilding cannot end with post-election speeches. Delegates must be able to see, over time, whether the promises made are being translated into real work on the ground.
Any candidate should be able to say exactly what they would change. An oath to do more isn’t sufficient. Delegates should be informed of the work to be done, who will be accountable, and how progress will be monitored.
Project work for 2028 should start now. Waiting until the next general election is close would repeat the old mistake, so the party has to begin building its structures today. Somebody must stay in touch with the branches. Members must receive timely information, while polling station agents need consistent communication and trainings. These responsibilities cannot be left until the campaign period. They require steady, organised work and year-round commitment.
The incumbents can use this period to lay their records on the table and say what 2024 taught them. New contenders have a task of their own, which is to show that they understand what these jobs involve. Delegates should hear both sides out and look at the records before they decide. What is at stake is the future of the NDC in Damongo constituency.
Ultimately, this election is about the kind of organisation the NDC wants to build in Damongo. Does the party want leadership to be judged mainly by years of service and loyalty, or by what executives have actually accomplished? Is it capable of creating structures which will remain in operation even if a specific role is not filled? Can it learn from electoral failures without descending into personal feuds?
The following are questions delegates should ask themselves before voting.
The vote is up to the delegates. They should have the freedom to celebrate positive contributions; challenge poor performance and select candidates according to their records, ideas and awareness of what is to come.
Respect for past service is more appropriate than being exempt from accountability. Likewise, one should be clear on what needs to change and how that change will be accomplished when making the call for new leadership.
NDC in Damongo must have a hard look at its performance, better internal organisation and a viable agenda for the next general election. It may be necessary to keep some people in place or to choose new individuals to fill those roles is a matter for delegates to consider based on the facts.
The decision for delegates on 24 October 2026 will not just be a matter of personalities. It will be a chance to determine their expectations of their leaders and what sort of constituency organisation they wish to establish for the future.
Source: Padfm.com.gh
