The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has defended its decision to allow suspended Obuasi Senior High Technical School headmaster Zakaria Abdulai to contest the Juaben constituency chairmanship election, despite ongoing investigations into allegations of sexual misconduct involving female students.
In a press release dated October 19, 2026, the party said its Functional Executive Committee (FEC) had reconsidered its initial position after inviting Abdulai to present his side of the matter.
The committee initially directed him to resign from the race or face disqualification. However, the party said it reviewed the case in line with the principles of fairness and natural justice, taking into account several ongoing investigations and the electoral timetable.
These included a report by a Ghana Education Service (GES) committee, an investigative report by journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni, and Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu’s directive referring the matter to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) for a criminal investigation.
The party said it had decided not to disqualify Abdulai at this stage, stressing that the decision was not an assessment of the merits of the allegations.
“The Party considers these allegations extremely serious. The NDC has zero tolerance for sexual abuse and harassment in any form, particularly against students entrusted to the care of teachers and school authorities,” the statement said.
It added that the allegations remained the responsibility of the police and the courts, and called for a thorough, independent and speedy investigation. The party also urged anyone with relevant information to cooperate with investigators.
The NDC said it would continue monitoring the process and reserved the right to review its decision based on the outcome of the investigations.
It further called on the public to respect the privacy, safety and dignity of the alleged victims, warning against attempts to intimidate or pressure complainants and witnesses.
Read the full statement below:
