NDC orders Zakaria Abdulai to withdraw from Juaben chairmanship race

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has directed Zakaria Abdulai, the interdicted headmaster of Obuasi Senior High Technical School (SHTS), to immediately withdraw his candidacy from the party’s chairmanship race in the Juaben constituency. The directive follows a series of allegations regarding sexual misconduct involving female students at the school, which have led to his formal interdiction by the Ghana Education Service (GES).

Julius Kwame Anthony, the NDC’s Deputy National Communications Director, confirmed that the party leadership issued the instruction to protect the integrity of the internal electoral process. Abdulai, who currently serves as the General Secretary for the NDC in the Juaben constituency, had already filed his nomination to contest for the chairmanship before the party intervened. The leadership emphasized that his continued participation was untenable while such grave allegations remained under investigation.

The controversy surfaced after a 20-year-old student and others leveled accusations of abuse against the headmaster. In response, education authorities removed him from his post pending the conclusion of a full inquiry. The NDC has signaled that it will not tolerate conduct that brings the party into disrepute, particularly as it maintains its position as the governing party under the administration of President John Mahama.

As the GES investigation continues, the Juaben constituency primaries are expected to proceed without Abdulai’s participation. The party has indicated that further internal disciplinary actions may be considered depending on the final findings of the state education authorities and any potential legal proceedings that may follow.