NDC aspirants pick 137 nomination forms for national executive positions

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has officially closed the window for prospective candidates to pick up nomination forms for its 2026 national executive elections. According to the party's Congress Elections Committee, a total of 137 aspirants have stepped forward to contest for 14 available offices. The nomination period concluded on October 21, 2026, at 5 PM, setting the stage for a highly competitive 11th National Delegates Congress scheduled for December.

Mahdi Gibril, the NDC Director of Elections and IT, described the high number of applicants as impressive, noting that although 137 people picked forms, only 27 will ultimately be elected to the various positions. A breakdown of the applications shows the most significant interest in the National Executive Committee (NEC) slots, which attracted 53 applicants. Other highly contested roles include the National Vice Chairperson position with 19 aspirants, the Deputy General Secretary with 11, and the National Chairman with 5. In a notable development, Citi Newsroom reported that some high-profile incumbents, including current National Chairman Johnson Asiedu Nketiah and National Communications Officer Sammy Gyamfi, did not pick nomination forms.

Candidates who have picked up their forms now have a 14-day window to complete the documentation and pay the required filing fees. The next major step in the electoral calendar is the official filing of these forms, which is scheduled to take place at the NDC headquarters in Accra between November 7 and November 9, 2026. This period will be followed by vetting and other internal processes to ensure all candidates meet the party's constitutional requirements for leadership.

This election cycle represents a critical phase for the NDC as it seeks to refresh its leadership structure. Party officials have emphasized that the high level of participation reflects the internal democratic strength of the organisation. With several key positions seeing multiple contenders, the party expects vigorous internal campaigning over the next two months as aspirants seek to convince delegates of their vision for the NDC ahead of the 11th National Delegates Congress.