The Functional Executive Committee (FEC) of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has justified its decision to allow Zakaria Abdulai, headmaster of Obuasi Senior High Technical School, to participate in the Juaben Constituency Chairmanship election despite allegations of sexual misconduct involving female students.
The party stated that this determination was grounded in adherence to the tenets of fairness and natural justice.
In a statement dated October 19, the party said its preliminary stance required Zakaria Abdulai to either step down voluntarily or face disqualification from the Juaben Constituency Chairmanship contest.
Nevertheless, following comprehensive deliberation on the matter and the imperative to safeguard the principles of fairness and natural justice, the FEC requested that he present his perspective prior to rendering a conclusive determination regarding his involvement in the ongoing electoral proceedings.
In formulating its determination, the committee took into account the findings of the Ghana Education Service (GES) investigative committee, the investigative documentation prepared by Manasseh Azure Awuni, and an instruction from the Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, directing the allegations to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service for thorough criminal examination.
Following examination of the pertinent documentation, the NDC concluded that Zakaria Abdulai would be permitted to continue his candidacy in the constituency chairmanship race at the present time, emphasizing that this determination reflected the necessity to honor the constitutional protections of all involved parties.
The NDC underscored that the presumption of innocence must be maintained while the allegations remain subject to criminal examination, and that the scheduling parameters of the ongoing internal electoral proceedings were likewise evaluated.
This determination signifies that the headmaster shall not be excluded from the Juaben Constituency Chairmanship contest at this juncture, though the party has retained the authority to reassess its determination contingent upon the investigative outcomes.
