The Director of Elections and Information Technology of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mahdi Jibril, has explained measures being implemented by the party to address technical and administrative challenges confronting some members seeking to contest the upcoming constituency executive elections.
Speaking on Ahotor FM’s morning show on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, Mr. Jibril said the party was aware of concerns raised by some aspirants regarding the online nomination process but maintained that the system provides avenues for candidates to complete their forms without necessarily doing everything in one sitting.
He said the NDC had anticipated some of the challenges because the process is being conducted online and therefore depends partly on telecommunications networks.
According to him, whenever there are technical problems with the system itself, the party works to resolve them, while network-related challenges are also being addressed with the relevant telecommunications service providers.
Candidates Can Save and Continue Their Forms
Mahdi Jibril explained that candidates who pick their nomination forms do not have to complete the entire process immediately.
He said an aspirant can enter information, save the application and return later to continue with the process.
He explained that candidates can also download relevant documents, complete sections of the form at different times and upload the required information before finally submitting the application.
He therefore urged aspirants to take their time and carefully go through the process instead of rushing because of the deadlines.
He said the process was designed in a way that allows candidates to return to their applications several times before the final stage.
Filing Fee Changes the Status of the Application
The NDC Elections Director made an important distinction between picking a nomination form and completing the filing process.
He explained that after an aspirant picks the nomination form, the candidate can still return to the system to make changes and complete outstanding sections.
However, once the candidate pays the filing fee and completes the online submission, changes can no longer be made to that application.
He therefore urged candidates to carefully check their information and supporting documents before paying the filing fee and submitting their forms.
Where a candidate needs to make a change after the filing stage, he explained that the person may have to go through the process of obtaining a new form.
Former Branch Executives Seeking Constituency Positions
Mr. Jibril also addressed concerns involving former branch executives who have resigned to contest constituency-level positions.
He explained that a serving branch executive who intends to contest a constituency position must first resign from the branch position.
The candidate must then submit the necessary details, including the relevant party identification information, to the appropriate constituency and regional election committees so that the person’s status can be updated on the system.
According to him, some of the problems being encountered by aspirants are occurring because their names remain in the system as branch executives even though they intend to contest constituency positions.
He said the party had previously communicated the requirement to members and had asked branch executives intending to contest at the constituency level to submit their details.
He explained that the system is designed to prevent someone from remaining a branch executive while simultaneously attempting to contest a constituency executive position.
Party Responds to Members Who Report Problems
Mahdi Jibril said several people who contacted the party over difficulties with the nomination process had already received assistance.
He indicated that party members should not conclude that the system has failed simply because they encounter a problem at a particular stage.
He encouraged them to communicate with the constituency, regional or national election structures so that the problem could be identified and resolved.
He said the party was also communicating with constituency committees to help members navigate the process.
Network Challenges
The NDC Elections Director acknowledged that some aspirants, particularly those in areas with poor internet connectivity, could face difficulties.
He explained that the online system depends on telecommunications networks, meaning that network disruptions can affect candidates’ ability to access or submit their forms.
He said the party was working with telecommunications companies to address such problems.
He further noted that the NDC had established communication channels, including its support and call-centre arrangements, to enable members to report difficulties.
He urged anyone facing a genuine technical problem to seek assistance rather than waiting until the deadline approaches.
Branch Elections and Constituency Elections
Mr. Jibril also compared the current constituency nomination process with the previous branch elections.
He explained that during the branch elections, the process involved picking and filing at virtually the same stage.
However, the constituency elections have a different arrangement because candidates first pick their nomination forms and are given an opportunity to complete the application before paying the filing fee.
He said the distinction was important because some members were confusing the two processes.
According to him, the online system had already been successfully used for the branch elections, including in areas where network connectivity was not always strong.
He therefore expressed confidence that the constituency process could also be successfully completed if candidates followed the instructions and sought help when necessary.
Duplicate Entries and Constituency-Level Corrections
Mahdi Jibril further disclosed that the party had identified cases involving duplicate entries in the system.
He explained that some constituency structures had reported situations where the same person’s details appeared more than once or where information had been entered incorrectly.
He said the party was communicating with constituency election committees to resolve such cases.
He stressed that the objective was to ensure that every aspirant’s details correspond to the correct position and constituency.
Red Background for Candidate Photographs
The NDC Elections Director also addressed questions concerning the background colour required for photographs uploaded by aspirants.
He explained that candidates are expected to follow the party’s requirements regarding photographs, including the use of the specified red background.
He said some members had been confused because they had seen photographs of aspirants with white backgrounds circulating on social media and party WhatsApp groups.
He urged candidates to follow the official requirements rather than relying on photographs or information circulating informally among party members.
Candidates Should Take Their Time
Mahdi Jibril repeatedly urged aspirants not to rush through the process.
He said candidates should carefully read the instructions, enter their details correctly, upload the necessary documents and save their work where necessary.
He explained that the system allows applicants to return to an unfinished application before the final filing stage.
He said this flexibility was intended to make the process easier for candidates who may encounter network problems or need additional time to obtain documents.
No Need to Complete Everything at Once
According to Mr. Jibril, the fact that an aspirant cannot complete the entire application in one sitting does not mean the candidate has lost the opportunity.
He explained that the application can be saved and revisited.
Candidates can therefore complete one section, save it, return later to upload documents and subsequently continue until the application is ready for submission.
He urged candidates to make use of that facility.
Clarification on Resignation
Responding specifically to concerns from former branch executives, Mr. Jibril reiterated that resignation is a necessary step for a serving branch executive who wants to contest a constituency position.
He said candidates should not attempt to bypass the system by simply trying to select a different position while their branch executive status remains active.
He explained that the system checks candidates’ existing information and can therefore prevent them from proceeding if their records have not been properly updated.
He advised such persons to submit their resignation and relevant details to the appropriate election committee for the necessary update.
Party Assures Aspirants
Mahdi Jibril said the NDC recognises that any large-scale online exercise can experience technical difficulties, but the party has mechanisms to address legitimate problems.
He appealed to party members and aspirants to communicate with the election committees whenever they encounter difficulties.
He said the party’s intention is to ensure that eligible members are able to participate in the constituency elections without being unfairly disadvantaged by technical challenges.
He also encouraged constituency committees to assist members who may not be familiar with the online system.
Mr. Jibril maintained that the nomination process is clear and that many of the challenges being reported can be resolved when candidates carefully follow the instructions and communicate with the party’s election structures.
He urged all aspirants to remain patient, take their time and complete the process correctly rather than waiting until the final moment.
Story by Stephen Kwaku Owusu Mintah/Ahotoronline/Accra
