NPP to lose Walewale parliamentary seat?

It would be recalled that the parliamentary primary election of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) held on Saturday, January 27, 2024, in the Walewale Constituency, the hometown of Dr. Bawumia, the Vice President of the Republic and the 2024 flagbearer of the NPP, was marred with confusion when the Electoral Commission (EC) declared Dr. Mahama Tiah Abdul-Kabiru as the NPP Walewale Parliamentary Candidate elect for the 2024 general elections.

He reportedly obtained 345 votes against 338 votes polled by the incumbent Member of Parliament, Hajia Lariba Zuwera Abudu.

There is more confusion in the camp of the ruling NPP in the Walewale Constituency over the claimed reaffirmation of Dr. Abdul-Kabiru Tia Mahama as the party's 2024 parliamentary candidate.

A statement signed by the Walewale Constituency Chairman, Mohammed Janda Muniru, specified that after an extensive meeting with constituency executives, patrons, council of elders, and area coordinators, Dr. Tiah Abdul-Kabiru was reaffirmed as the parliamentary candidate for the Walewale Constituency in the upcoming December 7 parliamentary election.

However, the public had been warned to reject the assertion that the constituency executives had confirmed Dr. Abdul-Kabiru as the party's 2024 parliamentary candidate, according to a different statement released by the
Constituency Secretary, Wuni Yidana.

"I wish to state in no uncertain terms that no decision was ever reached at the said meeting, in which the stakeholders purportedly reaffirmed the declaration of Dr. Kabiru Mahama as our party’s candidate for our constituency," he said.

Mr. Yidana further stated that the constituency chairman's action is disrespectful because the constituency parliamentary primary election is still the subject of a lawsuit that is currently before the Tamale High Court.

The 2020 parliamentary election result in the Walewale Constituency was very close. Lariba Zuweira Abudu of the NPP had 32,294 votes, while the NDC candidate, Abdallah Abubakari, got 30,615, a difference of 1,679 votes.

Reports coming from Walewale have it that many members of the ruling party in the constituency are deeply worried that they may lose the seat to the NDC.