NDC justifies decision to keep Obuasi SHTS headmaster in Juaben chairmanship race

The Functional Executive Committee (FEC) of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has defended its decision to allow Zakaria Abdulai, headmaster of Obuasi Senior High Technical School, to remain in the race for the Juaben Constituency Chairmanship despite allegations of sexual misconduct involving female students.

The party said its decision was guided by the principles of fairness, natural justice and the constitutional rights of all parties, noting that the allegations are still under criminal investigation.

In a statement dated October 19, 2026, the NDC disclosed that its initial position was for Mr Abdulai to voluntarily resign from the contest or face disqualification.

However, after further consideration, the FEC invited him to present his side of the matter before making a final determination on his participation in the ongoing internal electoral process.

The party said its decision followed a review of several documents relating to the allegations against the headmaster.

These included a report by a Ghana Education Service (GES) committee that investigated the matter, an investigative report by journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni, and a directive from the Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu.

The Education Minister had referred the allegations to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service for a comprehensive criminal investigation.

The FEC said it considered the available information before resolving to allow Mr Abdulai to continue contesting the constituency chairmanship position for now.

The NDC maintained that the presumption of innocence must be respected while the allegations remain under investigation.

It also said the timelines of the ongoing internal electoral process were taken into account in reaching the decision.

The party’s position means Mr Abdulai will not be disqualified from the Juaben Constituency Chairmanship contest at this stage, despite the allegations against him.

Although the FEC has permitted Mr Abdulai to remain in the race, the party has reserved the right to reconsider its position depending on the outcome of the investigations.

The decision comes amid scrutiny of the allegations involving the headmaster and the ongoing processes by the relevant authorities to establish the facts.

The NDC has maintained that its decision reflects the need to balance the seriousness of the allegations with procedural fairness while the criminal investigation continues.