The Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mustapha Gbande, says he is not yet qualified to serve as the party’s General Secretary, insisting the position requires someone with greater experience and seniority.
Speaking in an interview with Umaru Sanda Amadu on Eyewitness News on Thursday, July 16, 2026, Gbande dismissed suggestions that he should contest for the role, saying he may only consider it later in life.
“There are people who have told me I can be a General Secretary, and I have told them that I’m not qualified to be a General Secretary. Maybe when I’m old,” he said.
According to him, the NDC’s structure requires individuals occupying top leadership positions to possess the experience and stature needed to command respect across the party.
“Our party is structured in ranks. At a certain age, you can’t be a National Chairman or a General Secretary because if you have had to summon, say, Haruna Iddrisu for a meeting and I’m the General Secretary, am I going to send him a text message?” he asked.
“You need somebody who has the pedigree, the peer ranking to be able to summon a certain meeting at a certain level. I don’t think I have reached there.”
Gbande described himself as an operative rather than an administrator, adding that the General Secretary’s role demands a level of restraint he believes others are better suited to demonstrate.
“Apart from that, I’m a typical operative. And you need some kind of restraint to be a General Secretary. My General Secretary, Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, has been one of the best,” he said.
He also stressed the need for the party to recognise and reward members who made sacrifices to help the NDC return to power, saying their contributions should not be overlooked.
