The Functional Executive Committee (FEC) of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has directed Mr. Zakaria Abdulai, a parliamentary aspirant in the Juaben Constituency, to step aside to allow for an unhindered investigation by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service.
The directive was contained in a statement issued by the party’s National Secretariat on Tuesday, October 20, as an update to an earlier release dated October 19 regarding Mr. Abdulai’s candidature.
According to the NDC, the decision was reached after further consideration and was taken in the interest of transparency and accountability while investigations proceed.
The party stressed that the directive should not be construed as a judgment on the allegations against Mr. Abdulai, noting that he remains entitled to the presumption of innocence.
“The party trusts that the CID will conduct a thorough, fair and expeditious investigation, and will be guided by its outcome,” the statement said.
The NDC further indicated that its position was made in good faith and was intended to ensure that ongoing investigations are not impeded.
The party has consequently directed both the Ashanti Regional Election Committee and the Juaben Constituency Election Committee to take note of the decision and act accordingly.
The statement was signed by NDC General Secretary, Fifi Fiavi Kwetey.
The latest development comes as the party seeks to uphold its internal standards of accountability and transparency while awaiting the outcome of investigations by the Ghana Police Service.