Former Minority Leader and MP for Tamale South, Haruna Iddrisu has launched his campaign named ‘Operation 90,000 Votes for JM’.

The campaign seeks to garner at least 90,000 votes for the NDC’s presidential candidate, John Dramani Mahama at the December general elections.

Haruna Iddrisu’s campaign to deliver 90,000 votes to Mahama is considered by many as highly ambitious as he was unable to deliver a similar pledge to deliver 70,000 votes for Mahama in 2016.

In the 2016 election, the former employment minister was able to deliver 51,839 votes for the NDC flagbearer.

Although there was a marginal increase of about 6,000 votes in 2020, the Tamale South Legislator was still unable to hit the 70,000.

Haruna Iddrisu while speaking at the launch of the NDC’s Campaign in the Tamale South Constituency on Sunday said the 90,000 votes target was achievable.

He pledged that he would work tirelessly with his constituency executives to achieve the target.

Mr. Iddrisu however emphasized the need for his constituents to turn out massively to vote for the NDC flagbearer, insisting that the key to the realization of the 90,000 votes depended on the masses.

He said Ghanaians could not afford to retain the ruling NPP for the NPP would only worsen the “hardship” in the country.

90,000 votes target achievable:

Journalist and Tamale South Constituency Election watcher, Fuseini Safianu Mandeiya supported Haruna Iddrisu’s assertion that the 90,000 votes target was achievable.

Speaking to this reporter, he explained that, the dynamics of this year’s elections are different and mostly favour the NDC, especially in the constituency.

Mr. Safianu added that the constituency had also seen an increase in the total number of registered voters from about 114,000 to about 123,000, noting that the only thing that could hinder Haruna Iddrisu from achieving the target would be voter apathy.

“Haruna Iddrisu's target of 90,000 votes is achievable. Because the constituency has about 145,000 registered votes. And the constituency is largely dominated by NDC supporters. So it is possible to get that number. Only apathy will stop him from getting it. But I don't see apathy against NDC this time because their supporters are hungry for power. And they will come all out to vote” he said.

Thousands defy rains to witness Haruna Iddrisu's campaign launch:

Thousands of residents defied a heavy downpour to witness the campaign launch of the Member of Parliament for Tamale South.

Sunday’s downpour was the first time Tamale experienced an all-day rain due to the long dry spells in the area but that did not stop enthusiastic sympathizers of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) from storming the SIC Quarters Park, the venue of the campaign launch.

Many said they were there to catch a glimpse of Haruna Iddrisu, who is regarded as the torch-bearer of Northern politics and loved by people from across the political divides in the Northern Region.

“I came to see Lawyer Haruna, I have been here for hours and you can see I’m soaked in the rain but I don’t mind because I have seen the man who is making the NDC attractive to us,” a resident said.

It was not only sympathizers of the party who attended the launch.

NDC's running mate, Prof Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang attended the launch on behalf of the flagbearer and was accompanied by national executives of the NDC including First National Vice Chairman, Chief Sofo Azorka, and regional executives.

Several Members of Parliament including Edward Bawa, MP for Bongo East, Muntaka Mubarak, MP for Asawase, Ibrahim Mohammed Murtala, MP for Tamale Central, Alhassan Suhuyini, MP for Tamale North, and former government appointees under the erstwhile NDC government including Marietta Brew Appiah-Oppong also attended the campaign launch.