News Desk Report
Accra, Oct. 7, 2026 —Ali Jabiru Agbonarh, an aspiring Vice Chairman of the Bortianor-Ngleshie Amanfrom Constituency of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has questioned claims that delegates should demonstrate personal loyalty to the constituency chairman because their names were included in the party’s delegate album.
His comments come amid an ongoing dispute over the constituency’s delegate album, with concerned party members demanding explanations over alleged changes to the register ahead of the NDC’s constituency-level executive elections scheduled for October 24 and 25, 2026.
Speaking in reaction to comments made at a meeting at Kokrobite, Agbonarh said the controversy raised a fundamental question about where a delegate’s loyalty should lie.
“Who does a delegate owe loyalty to—the individual Chairman or the NDC and its constitution?”
‘A delegate is not anybody’s property’
Agbonarh argued that the inclusion of a person’s name in a delegate album should not create a personal obligation to any constituency executive or candidate.
“Putting someone’s name in an album does not purchase that person’s conscience,” he said.
According to him, delegates should be able to assess candidates and make their own choices without being subjected to pressure because their names appear on the register.
“A delegate is not anybody’s property, and inclusion in a register should never become a condition for political obedience,” he said.
His comments come as questions continue to be raised about the accuracy and integrity of the BNAC delegate records. A recent report on the dispute said concerned members were seeking explanations about how names were allegedly removed, altered or transferred, who authorised the changes and when they occurred.
Questions over removal of delegates
Agbonarh also raised concerns about any suggestion that delegates could be removed from the album because they support candidates other than those preferred by the constituency chairman.
“If a delegate can be removed simply because he or she chooses to support a candidate different from the Chairman’s preferred candidate, then that is no longer grassroots democracy. That is control,” he said.
He called for any dispute over the inclusion or removal of names to be resolved through the NDC’s constitution, established procedures and verifiable records.
The aspiring Vice Chairman also referred to claims surrounding the constituency chairman’s position on the ongoing court action, particularly the issue of newly added names to the delegate register.
He said if names were deliberately added, removed or altered for political reasons, delegates and the wider constituency deserved a clear explanation based on the applicable rules and facts.
‘The album is the foundation’
For Agbonarh, the delegate album is not merely an administrative document but a critical foundation for the credibility of the constituency’s internal elections.
“We must stop pretending that these are ordinary disagreements. The integrity of the delegate album is the foundation of the entire election. If the foundation is questionable, everything built on it becomes questionable.”
He therefore called for transparency over the compilation and amendment of the album, including clarity on who authorised any changes and whether the changes complied with party procedures.
The controversy has already generated wider attention within the constituency, with recent reports indicating that disagreements over the delegate records have moved beyond internal party discussions and into legal proceedings.
‘NDC is bigger than any Chairman’
Agbonarh further challenged what he described as the personalisation of party structures and loyalty.
He said constituency executives were elected to serve as custodians of the party rather than owners of its structures.
“This party was not created to serve the interests of one individual. The Chairman is an elected officer—not the owner of the party. The executives are custodians of the party, not landlords of the party.”
He maintained that delegates had the right to listen to different candidates, question party executives, disagree with them and support candidates of their choice.
“Delegates have a right to listen. Delegates have a right to question. Delegates have a right to choose. Delegates have a right to disagree.”
He said no intimidation, threat of removal or claim of personal loyalty should take those rights away.
Call for facts to determine the process
Agbonarh urged all sides in the dispute to allow the NDC’s constitution, official records and established procedures to determine the way forward.
“If everything is legitimate, then let the records, the constitution and the facts speak for themselves,” he said.
He argued that the issue was ultimately bigger than individual candidates or executives, saying the credibility of the constituency’s internal democratic process depended on delegates having confidence in the register used to conduct the election.
“We are not asking for favours. We are demanding accountability, transparency and respect for the grassroots,” he said.
Agbonarh concluded by stressing that the party and constituency should take precedence over individual interests.
“The NDC is bigger than any Chairman. BNA is bigger than any individual. And the collective will of the delegates must be bigger than personal interests.”
The latest controversy comes as the NDC moves toward its October 24–25 constituency executive elections, making the accuracy and authentication of membership and delegate records a central issue in the ongoing internal process.
Source: www.thenewindependentonline.com