Ghana: Dzifa Gunu disqualified from La Dadekotopon NDC secretary race

Dzifa Gunu, the incumbent Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the La Dadekotopon Constituency and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ghana Digital Centres Limited (GDCL), has reportedly been disqualified from contesting the forthcoming constituency executive elections.

According to information available to this publication, Mr. Gunu’s disqualification followed two separate petitions challenging his eligibility to contest the position of Constituency Secretary while still occupying the position of CEO of Ghana Digital Centres Limited.

The issue centres on an eligibility directive issued by the NDC as part of its 2026 internal reorganisation and elections.

The party announced in January that government appointees seeking to contest internal executive positions were required to resign from their public appointments at least six clear months before filing their nomination forms.

The directive specifically covers Chief Executive Officers, Managing Directors, their deputies and other analogous positions. For aspirants seeking constituency-level positions, the deadline was April 2026.

The NDC subsequently maintained that the requirement was to be enforced as part of the party’s internal electoral guidelines. In June, the party’s Acting Director of Elections and IT, Mahdi Jibril, reiterated that government appointees seeking constituency, regional or national executive positions were required to resign within the prescribed timelines.

The matter also became the subject of a legal challenge. On July 23, 2026, an Accra High Court dismissed a case seeking to restrain the NDC from enforcing the resignation requirement, allowing the party to proceed with implementation of the guideline.

Two Petitions Triggered Eligibility Review:

In La Dadekotopon, the eligibility of Mr. Gunu became the subject of two separate petitions submitted ahead of the constituency vetting exercise.

The first petition, addressed to the Constituency Elections Committee and copied to senior party officials at the regional and national levels, called for the immediate disqualification of Mr. Gunu on grounds of alleged non-compliance with the party’s resignation requirement.

The petitioner argued that Mr. Gunu remained CEO of Ghana Digital Centres Limited beyond the April 2026 deadline and therefore did not satisfy the eligibility requirement for a constituency executive position.

The second petition was submitted by Andrew Aryee, Branch Secretary of La Girls School ‘2’ Branch.

Rather than directly asserting non-compliance, the petition called on the Election Committee to formally establish whether Mr. Gunu had resigned from his government appointment within the prescribed period.

The petition requested the committee to verify Mr. Gunu’s public appointment, determine whether and when he resigned, establish whether any resignation fell within the applicable deadline, and assess his nomination against the NDC Constitution and the 2026 election guidelines.

Public records currently identify Dzifa Gunu as the CEO of Ghana Digital Centres Limited.

The organisation’s official website states that he has served as CEO since 2025, following his appointment by President John Dramani Mahama.

Vetting Committee Rules On Candidature:

Following consideration of the petitions and the eligibility provisions governing the internal elections, the La Dadekotopon vetting process, involving representatives from the regional and national party structures, reportedly disqualified Mr. Gunu from contesting the Constituency Secretary position.

The decision has significantly altered the contest for the position, which had attracted considerable interest within the constituency.

With Mr. Gunu out of the race following the vetting decision, the Constituency Secretary contest is now expected to be a two-horse race between Jeffrey Tetteh and Ms. Pat Quaye.

The development is likely to generate considerable discussion among party members, particularly because Mr. Gunu is the incumbent Constituency Secretary and had sought to retain the position.

Gunu To Challenge Decision:

Mr. Gunu, however, is reported to be dissatisfied with the decision and has indicated his intention to challenge the disqualification through the appropriate party processes and pursue the matter to its logical conclusion.

His intended challenge could therefore add another layer to the already closely watched internal elections in La Dadekotopon, with the eligibility dispute potentially moving beyond the constituency vetting process.

The controversy comes against the backdrop of the NDC’s broader effort to enforce its 2026 internal-election eligibility rules.

The party’s official roadmap states that the internal elections are intended to renew mandates, usher in new officers and strengthen internal democracy from the grassroots upward. Constituency elections are scheduled for October 24 and 25, 2026.

For now, the key issue remains whether the vetting decision will stand or whether Mr. Gunu’s proposed challenge will result in a review of his disqualification.

The outcome could determine whether the Constituency Secretary contest proceeds as a two-way race between Jeffrey Tetteh and Ms. Pat Quaye or whether Mr. Gunu succeeds in having his candidature restored.