By Daniel Bampoe
Growing succession politics within the governing National Democratic Congress appears to have triggered alarm at the highest levels of the party, forcing the Council of Elders to issue a stern warning to individuals and groups allegedly positioning themselves for the party’s crucial 2027 presidential primaries.
The warning comes amid increasing speculation over who will succeed President John Dramani Mahama as the NDC’s presidential candidate for the 2028 general elections.
With President Mahama constitutionally barred from seeking another term after the expiration of his current mandate, discussions surrounding the party’s future leadership have intensified across the country, with several prominent figures already being linked to a possible flagbearership contest.
The situation has become even more sensitive following recent public disagreements involving National Chairman Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu and Interior Minister Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak over the controversial 2023 parliamentary leadership reshuffle.
Those exchanges have fueled speculation that the battle for influence inside the NDC has already begun despite the party still being in the early stages of governance.
Against this backdrop, the Council of Elders held a high-level meeting with President Mahama on Friday, May 29, 2026, where discussions focused on party unity, internal discipline and support for the government’s national “Resetting Agenda.”
Following the meeting, the Council issued a strongly worded statement expressing concern over reports that some party members and interest groups had already begun engaging in activities associated with presidential campaigns.
The Council warned that such activities threaten party cohesion and risk distracting government from its mandate to improve the lives of Ghanaians.
“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 statement stressed.
The intervention by the Council of Elders is the clearest sign yet that the NDC leadership is becoming increasingly concerned about premature succession campaigns and factional alignments emerging around potential presidential hopefuls.
Several influential names have already surfaced in political discussions as possible contenders for the party’s 2027 presidential primaries.
Among those frequently mentioned are Chief of Staff Julius Debrah, National Chairman Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Forson, Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu and Agriculture Minister Eric Opoku.
The Council reminded party members that the NDC Constitution clearly outlines the process for electing a presidential candidate and that no individual is authorized to campaign until the appropriate constitutional procedures have been activated.
Referencing Article 42 of the party’s constitution, the Council emphasized that only the National Executive Committee has the authority to determine the timetable and guidelines for presidential primaries.
“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 declared.
The Council therefore directed all persons involved in campaign-related activities to immediately halt such engagements.
The directive covers political mobilisation, endorsements, campaign meetings, strategic lobbying and all other activities intended to promote potential presidential aspirants before the official opening of the process.
The warning is particularly significant because it comes amid growing controversy surrounding Asiedu Nketiah’s nationwide “Thank You Tour,” which has generated intense political discussions within the party.
Critics have argued that the tour, taking place simultaneously with President Mahama’s own nationwide “Reset Tour,” has created the impression of competing political centres within the governing party.
The controversy intensified after Asiedu Nketiah publicly claimed that the NDC’s victory in the 2024 elections was partly made possible by the removal of Haruna Iddrisu and Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak from the Minority leadership structure in Parliament in 2023.
The comments triggered backlash from supporters of both ministers and sparked fresh debates about succession politics inside the NDC.
Haruna Iddrisu later appeared to respond indirectly by describing President Mahama’s nationwide engagement as the “proper thank you tour” while referring to another tour as a “curtain raiser,” comments that many interpreted as a subtle jab at the National Chairman.
Meanwhile, allies of Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak accused the NDC chairman of attempting to rewrite political history and unfairly target senior party figures.
These developments likely contributed to concerns among the Council of Elders that early succession politics could undermine party unity and distract the Mahama administration from governance.
The Council therefore urged party members to remain focused on supporting government programmes and preserving internal cohesion.
“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 concluded.
The latest intervention is expected to temporarily cool growing tensions within the governing party.
However, with the 2027 presidential primaries approaching and several influential figures being linked to the race as the battle to succeed President Mahama may already have begun behind the scenes despite official calls for restraint.
