The Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mustapha Gbande, has called on party members with presidential ambitions to put their plans on hold and focus on supporting President John Dramani Mahama’s administration.
Speaking on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, Gbande warned that early campaigning for the party’s future flagbearer position could distract the government and weaken its ability to deliver on its promises.
He noted that the NDC administration has spent only 15 months in office, making discussions about the next presidential race unnecessary at this stage.
According to him, party members who are already positioning themselves for future leadership roles risk creating distractions that could affect President Mahama’s work and the government’s performance.
Gbande stressed that the party should now concentrate on governance, job creation, and fulfilling campaign promises.
He believes these efforts will help the NDC maintain public trust and improve its chances of staying in power after the next election.
He also stated that internal competition and political calculations should not take priority while the government is still working to establish a strong record.
“Whoever wants to be flagbearer, you are not bigger than the party. It doesn’t matter what position you carry, and when it is time for the party to crack the whip on what constitutes a distraction, it will be done regardless of who is involved,” he stated.
Gbande described growing political ambitions within the party as a major distraction to the government’s mandate.
“The pockets of ambitions constitute an absolute distraction to our mandate,” he said.
He further argued that conversations about who may lead the party in the future are both premature and harmful to the party’s current goals. Instead, he urged members to channel their energy into helping President Mahama succeed.
“It’s not about whether the national chairman is interested, or whoever is interested, or the Chief of Staff is interested… that is not a conversation. The conversation is that one and a half years into government, anything presidential ambition constitutes the highest form of disorder,” he said.
His comments come at a time when political discussions within the NDC continue to grow over possible succession plans in the party.
Some political observers have linked the NDC National Chairman, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, to future presidential ambitions, especially following his ongoing “Thank You Tour”.
Others have also speculated that Chief of Staff Julius Debrah may be building political support through his widely publicised health walks.
However, Gbande warned that such activities could create divisions within the party if leaders fail to manage them properly.
He therefore called on the NDC Council of Elders to enforce discipline and ensure that party members remain united behind the Mahama administration.
