By Nadia Ntiamoah
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) is facing growing public criticism after its Acting Director of Elections, Mahdi Gibril, defended the political ambitions of Zakaria Abdulai, the interdicted headmaster of Obuasi Senior High Technical School (SHTS), who is seeking to become the party’s constituency chairman in Juaben despite serious sexual abuse allegations involving female students.
Gibril’s defence has intensified a controversy that is no longer limited to the school where the alleged misconduct reportedly occurred. It has developed into a broader debate about political accountability, the protection of students, the responsibilities of political parties and whether party loyalty is being placed ahead of concerns about the safety of vulnerable people.
Abdulai, who currently serving as the NDC’s Juaben Constituency Secretary, was thrust into the national spotlight following an investigation by JoyNews investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni, which reported allegations of sexual harassment, assault and rape involving female students at the school. Over 16 students are said to have been sexually assaulted by the randy headmaster.
The headmaster has been interdicted by the Ghana Education Service (GES) pending investigations, while the
Education Minister, Haruna Iddrisu, directed that he be suspended and requested a police investigation.The allegations have also generated calls from former lawmakers, civil society figures and other political commentators for the NDC to prevent him from contesting its upcoming constituency chairmanship election.
Rather than immediately distancing the party from Abdulai alleged misconduct while the investigations proceed, Gibril has defended his right to remain in the political contest, insisting that the findings of the investigations should determine his future.
His comments have triggered questions about whether the NDC’s response adequately recognises the seriousness of the allegations and the need to protect the credibility of the party.
Mahdi Gibril: “The Party Is Proud To Have Him”
Speaking on GhanaAkoma with host Sir John, Gibril praised Abdulai’s performance as Juaben Constituency Secretary and maintained that the party would not make a final judgment before the investigations were completed.
“What I know is that I have a competent secretary at Juaben, and the party is proud to have him,” Gibril stated.
He argued that Abdulai’s eligibility to assume the chairmanship should depend on the outcome of the investigations, rather than the allegations alone.
According to reports of the interview, Gibril said that even if Abdulai won the constituency election, he would not be permitted to occupy the chairmanship if the investigations established his guilt.
“If the outcome of the investigation proves that he is guilty, he will not hold the chairmanship position despite winning. On the other hand, he will continue to serve when proven innocent,” he said.
Gibril also questioned the timing of the allegations, suggesting that they could be part of an attempt to undermine Abdulai’s political ambitions.
“Don’t be surprised if these sexual allegations disappear after our elections on October 24. There is a possibility that they could be part of an agenda against him, but only time will tell,” he reportedly said.
Those comments have become a major source of public controversy because the allegations involve students entrusted to the care of a school headmaster. Critics argue that while Abdulai is entitled to due process and should not be declared guilty before the legal process is completed, the party’s leadership must also consider the reputational consequences of allowing a candidate facing such serious allegations to pursue a senior internal position.
Gibril’s position, however, is that the investigation should determine whether Abdulai can continue in leadership, rather than the NDC making a final decision based solely on accusations.
Investigation Triggers National Debate
The controversy gained national attention after Manasseh Azure Awuni reported on allegations of sexual misconduct involving Abdulai and female students at Obuasi SHTS.
In his reporting, the investigative journalist also revealed Abdulai’s political position within the NDC and his ambition to contest the Juaben constituency chairmanship.
The revelation raised questions about whether party officials knew about the allegations and what action, if any, had been taken before the matter became a national issue.
In August 2026, Obuasi Senior High Technical School school experienced massive unrest when students rioted and physically assaulted Abdulai.The students accused the headmaster of engaging in ritual practices and forcing an abortion on a student. The mob attack left the headmaster with serious injuries requiring hospitalization at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital.
Following the August campus rampage, which resulted in the destruction of the headmaster’s bungalow and vehicle, the police arrested six students. Further investigations by the Obuasi District Police Command led to the arrest of two teachers who were accused of instigating the student body to carry out the attack.
A subsequent JoyNews investigation reported that complaints concerning alleged misconduct had been brought to the attention of education officials, municipal authorities and other influential individuals months before Abdulai’s interdiction.
According to the report, complaints and petitions from students, parents and teachers had been submitted to relevant authorities, but effective action was allegedly delayed.
These claims have prompted demands for accountability beyond the headmaster himself. Critics want authorities to establish what complaints were made, who received them, what steps were taken and whether any official failed to act appropriately.
Nevertheless, the gravity of the accusations has placed pressure on both the education authorities and the NDC to demonstrate that institutional or political relationships will not interfere with the pursuit of the facts.
Education Minister Orders Suspension As GES Interdicts Headmaster
Following the emergence of the allegations, Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu directed the immediate suspension of Abdulai pending investigations.
The Ghana Education Service subsequently announced his interdiction, requiring him to make himself available to assist with the investigation and hand over management of the school to the Ashanti Regional Director of Education.
The GES said the measure would remain in force pending the outcome of a full-scale investigation. The Service also confirmed that a complaint had been lodged with the police.
The matter has also entered the criminal justice process.
In a report published on October 17, 2026, GhanaWebbers, citing police information, reported that the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ashanti South Regional Police Command had forwarded a case docket concerning an alleged rape to the Attorney-General’s Office for study and advice.
The report stated that a 20-year-old Form Two student, accompanied by her father, lodged a complaint on August 4, 2026, alleging that Abdulai had forcibly had sexual intercourse with her at his official residence on the school campus. The specific allegations in that complaint have not been established as facts in a court of law.
Separately, the broader investigative reporting has referred to allegations involving approximately 16 female students.
Former NDC MP Demands Immediate Disqualification
Gibril’s defence of Abdulai has drawn a sharp response from former Amenfi Central Member of Parliament Peter Kwakye Ackah, who has urged the NDC to disqualify the embattled headmaster from the Juaben chairmanship contest.
Speaking on Adom TV’s Nnawɔtwe Yi programme on October 17, Ackah argued that party membership should not protect anyone facing serious allegations.
“Nobody should shield such a person after he has raped someone’s child just because he’s a party member,” he said.
Ackah’s statement was forceful, but his use of the word “raped” should be understood as part of his criticism, not as a judicial finding against Abdulai.
The former lawmaker believes that allowing the candidate to pursue the chairmanship could damage the party’s reputation and send the wrong message to students, parents and the wider public.
The call for disqualification, however, raises a separate question: whether the party’s internal rules permit it to bar a candidate solely because serious allegations are under investigation, or whether a formal finding or another specified ground is required.
The NDC has not been shown, in the reports cited here, to have issued a final decision disqualifying Abdulai.
CDD-Ghana Raises Questions About Safeguarding in Schools
The controversy has also drawn attention from the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), where Director of Public Engagement and Partnerships Kojo Pumpuni Asante has called for a review of procedures for responding to sexual abuse allegations in schools.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show, Asante urged the Education Minister to establish a task force to review safeguarding protocols and ensure that complaints are handled promptly.
He argued that clear procedures and timelines were needed to establish how reports should move through school management, education authorities and other relevant institutions, helping identify delays and determine where accountability lies.
