The Council of Elders of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has directed a ban on all party members engaging in early presidential campaigns to succeed President John Mahama and focus on the Reset Agenda.
According to the NDC Council of Elders, the directive follows a meeting between them and President John Dramani Mahama.
The NDC Council of Elders noted that they have observed the premature presidential campaigns and related political activities by some individuals and groups within the party, adding that the party’s current focus should be supporting the government to deliver on its mandate and improve the lives of Ghanaians.
The Council stressed that the focus should be on the President Mahama Reset Agenda, highlighting that the time for internal contests will come.
In a statement issued on May 29, 2026, the NDC Council on May 29, 2026 read, “The Council wishes to remind all members that the NDC is currently focused on delivering on the mandate entrusted to it by the people of Ghana. At this critical stage of national reconstruction and renewal, every member of the Party is expected to devote his or her energies, resources, and commitment to supporting the Government’s efforts to reset the country and improve the lives of Ghanaians, rather than engaging in activities that have the potential to create division, distraction, or unnecessary internal competition”.
“The date and venue for the election of the Presidential Candidate shall be decided by the National Executive Committee (NEC), but that election shall take place at least twelve (12) months before a national election date if the Party is in power and at least twenty-four (24) months if the Party is not in power,” it stated.
“The Council emphasises that, until the appropriate constitutional processes have been initiated and the National Executive Committee has determined the timetable and guidelines for the conduct of presidential primaries, no individual, group, or interest bloc is authorised to undertake or promote any form of presidential campaign, whether directly or indirectly,” the statement noted.
“Accordingly, the Council of Elders directs all persons engaged in such activities to cease forthwith. These include all forms of campaigning, mobilisation, endorsements, publicity, or related activities intended to advance the presidential ambitions of any prospective candidate,” it said.
“The time for internal contests will come. For now, our collective responsibility is to serve the nation and successfully implement the mandate entrusted to us,” the statement added.
The NDC’s Council of Elders statement comes at a time when Kwesi Pratt Jnr, a Veteran journalist and political commentator, has fired shots at President John Dramani Mahama’s appointees.
According to Kwesi Pratt, Mahama’s appointees are dancing around him in circles, making nonsense of all his proclamations.
He stressed that President Mahama’s appointees don’t care about the Reset agenda of his supposed legacy term, adding that they are more focused on succession battles than helping him deliver on his promises to Ghanaians.
He recounted that President Mahama came to solve Ghana’s problems, but many of the people he appointed do not care about the Reset Agenda.
Kwesi Pratt highlighted that President Mahama is being politically undermined by people within his own government who are more focused on succeeding him.
Speaking in an interview on PanAfrica TV, Kwesi Pratt argued, “To be honest, I feel very sad for President John Dramani Mahama; the betrayal of President John Dramani Mahama is monumental”.
“This is a gentleman who came to the people of Ghana and said, ‘ Look, there are problems with the country, and I want to solve the problems in the educational sector, health sector and so on. He proclaimed a reset agenda,” he stated.
He added, “And he appointed people to assist him to realise that objective. Many of the people he appointed to help him realise that objective don’t just care. They don’t care about reset. They don’t care about restructuring the economy. All they care about is replacing him”.
“Poor Mahama. Poor Mahama. And he’s sitting there being held hostage,” he said.
“He’s not been able to crack the whip. They’re dancing around him in circles and making nonsense of all the proclamations he has made. It’s unbelievable,” Pratt added.
“Visit the NDC social media platforms and see what is happening there. Who is talking about how to achieve the 24-hour economy? That’s not their concern. It’s about who is going to replace Mahama,” he said.
“So the people he appointed to help him leave a legacy are saying to us, ‘Oh, don’t worry, very soon you’ll become a lame duck. That’s what they say. They say, ‘By next year, you’ll be a lame dog. You have no power. We don’t have to respect him. So let’s start our campaign,” he added.
See the post below:
NDC Council of Elders Bans Early Presidential Campaigns#PrimeRakon pic.twitter.com/qJJ5FoRk0X
— Prime Rakon (@prime_rakon) May 31, 2026
