A member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Masud Abdella of the Tema East Constituency, has petitioned the party’s Elections Committee to disqualify Michael Osei Boateng, popularly known as POPE, from contesting the position of National Youth Organiser.
Mr Abdella contends that Mr Boateng does not meet the constitutional age requirement for the position, having allegedly attained the age of 40.
In a petition dated August 31, 2026, Mr Abdella said Mr Boateng filed his nomination to contest the position on Friday, August 28. He is asking the Elections Committee to suspend further processing of the nomination pending an investigation into Mr Boateng’s eligibility.
He cited Article 15(4) of the NPP Constitution, which defines a youth as a party member who has not attained the age of 40.
Mr Abdella further argued that the 40-year age threshold remains applicable to the current electoral cycle after delegates at the party’s National Delegates Conference on July 19, 2025, rejected a motion to reduce the youth age ceiling from 40 to 35 years.
“It is accordingly posited that age requirement is the fulcrum for determining eligibility for the office of National Youth Organiser and that an aspirant must not have attained the age of forty (40) years as at the time nominations are filed for the National Executive Elections,” the petition stated.
Mr Abdella attached documents he identified as copies of Mr Boateng’s Ghana Card, passport and SSNIT records, which he said indicate his date of birth as October 8, 1984.
He argues that the date of birth would mean Mr Boateng has already attained the age of 40 and is therefore ineligible to contest the position.
Mr Abdella is asking the Elections Committee to independently verify the documents with the relevant institutions and direct Mr Boateng to submit his Ghana Card, passport, SSNIT biodata and other primary identification or birth records for verification.
He has also requested a fair hearing for both himself and Mr Boateng before any final decision is taken.
Mr Abdella further wants Mr Boateng disqualified if the committee establishes that he has attained the age of 40 or that any documents submitted in support of his nomination were altered or falsified.
He said his action is aimed at protecting the integrity of the party’s internal electoral process and expressed his readiness to cooperate with any investigation by the Elections Committee.
The petition was copied to the Elections Committee, the NPP General Secretary and the National Council.
The development comes as the NPP prepares for its National Executive Elections, scheduled for October 3, 2026.
Read full petition below
