04/05/2026
An Opened Letter To The Functional Executive Committee, NDC
CONCERNS ON THE ONLINE-ONLY SYSTEM FOR NDC BRANCH EXECUTIVE ELECTIONS.
By Comrade Muntaka Danladi Sheibanee
Dep. Comms, Ayawaso Central Const.
The decision to move the NDC branch executive nomination process fully online is progressive in intent, but risky in ex*****on. While digitalization brings efficiency, a sudden switch without fallback exposes the party to avoidable problems.
Key Concerns:
1. *No System Check or Redundancy.* This is our first time using an online-only process. A blended approach, online + manual, would provide a built-in system check. If the online portal glitches, crashes, or records incorrectly, manual forms serve as the backup for verifying and resolving issues. Without that, a single technical failure can disenfranchise aspirants.
2. Precedent from Security Services Recruitment. We saw this risk materialize during the Interior Ministry’s online aptitude tests for recruitment to the security service. Technical hitches, login failures, and server overloads caused nationwide disruption. *If it’s not broken, why fix it wholesale?* Change should be gradual and tested.
3. Digital Divide Among Members. How many of our branch members are digitally literate? How many have reliable internet, smartphones, computers, or access to printers for the required printouts? The party's base is broad. An online-only system unintentionally filters out committed members who lack tech access, not competence.
4. Practical Burden of Printouts. Requiring applicants to print online forms defeats the purpose of full digitization. If we trust the online system, why mandate paper? If we don’t trust it, why eliminate manual forms entirely? This half-measure creates double work.
5. Security concerns with opponents. The opposition, especially the New Patriotic Party, has found ways to infiltrate our registers before. If they get access during this process, they could compromise the system. Any system can be hacked, and we have to account for that risk when moving away from manual processes.
Recommendation: Progressive, Not Abrupt
Nobody disputes the need to upgrade. Online payment is reasonable for checks and balances, and accountability. But the application's transition should be systematic.
1. Blend both systems for this cycle: Run online and manual in parallel. Use manual forms to audit the online database.
2. Phase it in: Start with online optional, then online primary with manual fallback, then full online once reliability and accessibility are proven.
3. Build safeguards now: It’s not too late to introduce manual verification. Vulnerability in the system can be checked against physical records.
4. Use of existing constituency executives: We already have executives without portfolio and co-opted executives at the constituency level. Most of them don’t have specific duties day-to-day and only act when called upon. Since constituencies are supported with a monthly cushion, and all these executive members fall under the secretariat, a portion of that can be allocated as an allowance to cover manual entry. Having them key in the data manually is straightforward and gives us a reliable backup if the digital system is tampered with
Modernization must carry everyone along. A blended system protects the process, the aspirants, and the party’s credibility.
Comrade Muntaka Danladi Sheibanee
Deputy Communications Officer
Ayawaso Central Constituency.