The National Organiser of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Joseph Yammin, and the party’s Deputy General Secretary, Mustapha Gbande, have declared their intentions to seek re election as the party prepares for its upcoming national executive elections scheduled for December 19, 2026.
Mr Yammin announced his decision at a press conference on Wednesday, October 21, disclosing that he had collected and submitted his nomination forms and paid the required fees to contest for another term as National Organiser.
He said he was determined to retain his position and continue serving in the party’s national leadership, adding that he had completed the nomination process and was awaiting confirmation of the other candidates seeking the same position.
“We are here to announce to you that we have picked nomination forms to contest the upcoming national elections. I am maintaining my position as the National Organiser of the party to go another term,” he stated.
Mr Yammin said he was prepared for the contest and would finalise his campaign strategy after the identities of his challengers became known.
“I am waiting to know my opponent and will be ready to go into battle on the 19th of December,” he said.
He added that the party was expected to establish the identities of the other aspirants by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, a development he said would guide candidates in determining their respective approaches to the internal elections.
Mr Yammin’s announcement coincided with confirmation that Mr Gbande had also picked his nomination forms, paid the requisite fees and submitted his application to contest for another term as Deputy General Secretary.
Speaking to the media on Wednesday, Mr Gbande said he was seeking a renewed mandate to contribute to strengthening the NDC’s organisational structures and positioning the party for the 2028 general elections.
He urged party members to evaluate his suitability for another term based on his record of service, loyalty and commitment to the party, expressing confidence in the experience he had acquired while serving in the leadership.
“Experience matters. What I know is loyalty and dedicated service,” he said.
Mr Gbande acknowledged that his tenure had not been without challenges but maintained that he had remained committed to carrying out the responsibilities assigned to him by the party’s leadership.
He pledged to improve his performance if re elected, promising to bring greater experience, renewed dedication and a more refined approach to his responsibilities.
“I will come back more polished, stronger to discharge a better responsibility for the party,” he stated.
Reflecting on his role as an operations officer for the NDC while working within the government machinery, Mr Gbande described the responsibility as demanding and acknowledged that some of his actions in the course of performing his duties might have displeased party members and other individuals.
He consequently apologised to anyone who might have felt offended by his conduct while he carried out his assigned responsibilities.
“I may have offended a lot of people in the course of discharging my responsibility. Let me humbly use this opportunity to apologise to anyone I would have offended in line with discharging my responsibility,” he said.
The two officials are seeking to retain their respective positions as the NDC prepares to elect its national leadership and consolidate its organisational arrangements ahead of the 2028 general elections.
Their re election bids will be determined by the party’s internal electoral process, with the emergence of other aspirants expected to shape the contests for the two positions.
