A Constituency Executive Member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Daniel Yeboah, has petitioned the party’s leadership to investigate the eligibility of Richard Lartey to contest the position of Eastern Regional Treasurer in the party’s ongoing 2026 internal elections.
The petition, dated Thursday, October 15, 2026, challenges Mr. Lartey’s reported eligibility on grounds that he is serving as Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC), a government-appointed position that may fall under the party’s mandatory resignation requirements for government appointees seeking executive positions.
Mr. Yeboah, who is a Constituency Executive Member in the Abuakwa North Constituency, is asking the party’s Regional Elections Directorate, Legal Committee and Vetting Committee to establish whether Mr. Lartey resigned from his government appointment within the prescribed period and whether any exemption applies to his position.
The petition cites Article 54 of the NDC Constitution and Section H of the party’s approved 2026 Election Guidelines, particularly the provisions governing the resignation of government appointees seeking party executive positions.
Section H, paragraph 1 of the guidelines states, “Any person contesting any position in the party who is holding an office to which he or she was appointed by the president or government shall resign at least six (6) clear months from the said office or appointment prior to the filing of the nomination forms for the party position he or she desires to contest.”
According to the petitioner, the provision establishes a mandatory requirement for officials whose appointments fall within its scope, making it necessary for the party to verify Mr. Lartey’s appointment status and resignation history before confirming his eligibility.
The petition further references paragraph 3(b) of Section H, which identifies deputy chief executive officers, among other categories of government appointees, as potentially subject to the resignation requirement.
“If the official records establish that he is serving as Deputy Chief Executive Officer of MASLOC in a government-appointed capacity covered by the guidelines, he falls within the category expressly identified in paragraph 3(b), subject to the proper consideration of any applicable exemption,” the petition states.
However, Mr. Yeboah acknowledges that the guidelines provide an exemption for chairpersons and members of boards, as well as persons occupying analogous positions.
Section H, paragraph 2 states, “A person appointed as a chairperson or member of any Board, or any analogous position shall be exempt from the restrictions imposed by paragraph (1) of this section.”
The petitioner is therefore asking the party to determine whether Mr. Lartey’s specific appointment qualifies for the exemption, arguing that the existence of a governing board at a public institution does not automatically exempt every executive officer of that institution.
The petition also draws attention to the party’s reported January 29, 2026 announcement requiring government appointees seeking regional executive positions to resign by May 2026.
It notes that the official 2026 election timetable scheduled October 14 and 15 for the filing of nomination forms for regional executive positions.
Mr. Yeboah argues that the May deadline and the six-month resignation requirement must be considered together to determine whether Mr Lartey complied with the applicable rules.
He has asked the party to obtain official records establishing Mr. Lartey’s substantive appointment, the appointing authority and whether he remains in office.
The petition also requests documentary evidence of any resignation, including the resignation letter, date of submission, effective date and any official acknowledgement or acceptance.
It further calls for the party to establish the applicable resignation deadline and determine whether any claimed exemption is supported by the approved guidelines.
Mr. Yeboah has urged the party to give Mr. Lartey a reasonable opportunity to respond to the allegations and submit documents in support of his eligibility.
He insists that the petition is not intended to prejudge the matter but to secure a formal determination based on documentary evidence and the party’s electoral rules.
“Equally, no aspirant should be disqualified on the basis of an unsupported allegation. The proper course is to investigate the evidence, apply the approved rules and issue a reasoned decision,” the petition states.
The petitioner is seeking a written decision outlining the provisions applied, the evidence examined and the conclusions reached.
He has also asked the party to take appropriate procedural steps to ensure that any decision remains effective within the internal election timetable.
In the reliefs sought, Mr. Yeboah requests that the party formally investigate Mr. Lartey’s eligibility, determine whether the resignation requirement was satisfied and take appropriate action if non-compliance is established and no valid exemption applies.
He also wants the same eligibility requirements and evidential standards applied to all aspirants occupying comparable government-appointed positions.
Mr. Yeboah maintains that the petition is motivated by a desire to protect the credibility of the NDC’s internal electoral process and ensure that its approved rules are enforced consistently.
He argues that the party must avoid both arbitrary disqualification and preferential treatment, stressing that the final decision should be based on the evidence rather than the identity or influence of an aspirant.
“The issue is not who the aspirant is, but whether the rules have been satisfied. Where the rules apply, they must apply equally to all,” the petition concludes.
The petition has been addressed to the chairpersons of the Eastern Regional Election Committee and Regional Vetting Committee, with copies to the NDC National Chairman, the Functional Executive Committee, the National Executive Committee and the party’s Legal Committee.
