Aspiring National Democratic Congress (NDC) Constituency Chairman for Kpone-Katamanso, Hon. Haruna Mahama, has publicly supported calls for the postponement of the party’s upcoming branch elections, citing an overlap with the 2026 Hajj pilgrimage and the FIFA World Cup as reasons the vote should be deferred.
Speaking to reporters in Accra, Mr Mahama said the timing of the elections risks disenfranchising a significant number of party members, particularly Muslim supporters who will be observing religious obligations during the Hajj period. He noted that several branch executives and active members are expected to travel abroad for the pilgrimage, which this year coincides with the scheduled internal electoral activities.
“Our party must respect the religious commitments of its members,” Hon Mahama said. “Holding branch elections while many of our colleagues are away for Hajj would exclude them from meaningful participation and could skew results at the grassroots level. This is a matter of fairness and inclusion.”
Mahama also drew attention to the distraction posed by the 2026 FIFA World Cup, arguing that the global sporting event will command widespread public attention and could similarly suppress turnout and engagement in internal party processes. He suggested that the combined impact of both events—religious pilgrimage and a major international football tournament—makes the current dates unsuitable for critical organisational activities.
“Beyond the religious considerations, the World Cup will capture the interest of many Ghanaians. Members who would otherwise take part in branch activities may instead be focused on the tournament, which will further reduce attendance and the quality of our grassroots democratic exercise,” he added.
A matter of party unity and credibility, he said.
Hon. Mahama framed the proposed postponement as a pragmatic step toward strengthening party unity and the legitimacy of branch-level leadership. He argued that a short delay to a date after both Hajj and the World Cup would enable broader participation, ensure contested positions reflect the will of a fuller membership, and reduce the likelihood of post-election grievances.
“We should not rush internal democracy at the expense of inclusivity,” he said. “A reasonable postponement will not harm the party; rather, it will promote better turnout and more credible outcomes at the constituency and branch levels.”
Calls for flexibility have already been made by the Greater Accra Regional Zongo Caucus Coordinator, who first proposed suspending the elections. Hon. Mahama said regional stakeholders and the party’s national executive should consider the cumulative effect of concurrent national and international events when finalising the electoral timetable.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
