Accra (Greater Accra), 29 March '98, -

Alhaji Issifu Ali, National Co-Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) on Saturday congratulated the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for regaining the Ablekuma Central parliamentary seat in the March 26 bye-election. Speaking to the Ghana News Agency after worshipping with members of the Ahmadiyya Mission at Bustan-E-Ahmad (Garden of Ahmad) at Ashongman, near Accra, Alhaji Ali said, "let me use this Muslim New Year of peace and Unity to congratulate the NPP on their victory". He said, "it would have been too much of an embarrassment to the NPP if they had not won back their own seat. "If the NDC had won, the NPP would have said the election was rigged".

NPP candidate Okulley Nortey, a businessman won the seat, after the death of Mr C.S. Crabbe, who won it for the same party in the 1996 elections. Alhaji Ali however cautioned the NPP not to let the victory "whet their appetite", and be deceived that they would win the 2000 general elections. "Ghanaians are mindful of the track record of the NPP, and if ever they come to power, it will be a disaster for the nation". Alhaji Ali's comments contrasted sharply with the majority of leading supporters at the Odorkor Police station where the final results of the polls were being put together.

The NDC team lead by their Greater Accra Youth Organizer, Mr Bismark Agbemenule, refused to sign the final result because they claimed that the ink used to thumbprint some of the ballot papers were not uniform. "I will not sign, l will never sign, l am not satisfied with the conduct of the elections, Mr Agbenmule screamed as he called for a recount of the ballot from the Mercy Centre School, one of the 106 centres used for the elections. NDC gurus, including Alhaji Mahama Iddrisu, Presidential adviser on governmental affairs, Alhaji Huudu Yahaya, General Secretary, Mrs Faustina Nelson, National Vice-Chairman, and Dr Mohammed Chambas, Deputy Minister of Education, were not enough to stop the fury of the NDC protest which held up proceedings for about two hours as the recount was made. But perhaps the tension surrounding the counting of the elections was to be expected following the high pitch that the Ablekuma Central seat had been raised. In some instances, it appeared as if the campaign was for a national election and not a Parliamentary seat for one constituency.

All the parties saw it as a dress rehearsal for election 2000 as their big guns constantly made the rounds of the constituency which is one of the most populated in the country. The demography of Ablekuma makes it a testing ground of the popularity of the parties as its vast and diverse ethnic community makes it representative of the country. There is the large Ewe, Zongo and ethnic Ga community living in the largely impoverished section of the constituency as against the rich and affluent sector, comprising doctors, lawyers and businessmen on the other side.

The seat had changed hands twice already. In 1992 it was won by NDC's Bawa but he lost it by a narrow margin to NPP's Charles Samuel Crabbe whose death about a month ago necessitated the bye- elections. Although Crabbe secured 30,158 votes against Bawa's 28,952 political analysts had attributed Crabbe's victory to the contesting of the elections of Cornelius Abdala, an NDC member who stood as an independent candidate in defiance of his party's line. Abdala polled 9,865 votes and many believe those votes could have gone to Bawa. Not surprisingly, NDC's Jerry John Rawlings won in the presidential race. When the seat became vacant the NDC saw it as an opportunity to lay claim on what "is originally theirs" while the NPP thought it an opportunity to show what inroads they have made in the area.

For the major parties, it was also to test how prepared they are for next year's elections as is evidenced in all four major parties fielding candidates with the Reform Movement, which broke away from the NDC recently, supporting an independent candidate. For the NDC it was a major test, as the party used it as test grounds of the popularity of their likely candidate for the 2000 elections, as Vice-President John Evans Atta Mills did the rounds in a vain bid to galvanise to ensure victory. Also on the hustings was Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, First Lady, together with all other NDC top shots. The only person left out was President Rawlings who in-between the campaigns cooled it off in the US and France. The failure of the NDC to win the Ablekuma seat without the charisma of President Rawlings is the clearest indication yet that the party without him cannot stand the test of time.

Research conducted by the respected Research International after the 1996 elections had shown that majority of those who voted for the NDC did so because of President Rawlings and not the personalities who stood at the various constituencies. This contrasted with the findings of the NPP where the majority of respondents said they voted because of the Party and not the individuals involved. President Rawling is set to leave office next year after a two-year term in office. The stage is set for Vice-President Mills to take over from him. The Ablekuma elections, although could not be said to be a representation of what will happen countrywide, must be worrying to the former taxman and his supporters who will be judging his popularity against what happened last Friday.

Another factor of the NDC loss could be attributed to the Reform Movement who backed the independent Solomon Sulemani to place third with 566 votes. Although Sulemani's showing was not 'earth-shaking' his association with the RM has shown that the RM's breakaway from the NDC could prove disastrous to the party. To the NPP Ablekuma must be like a fresh breath of life. It must put them on high pedestal in their preparations for 2000. They can only build on their showing in Ablekuma and not relax if they hope to gain power. For the Convention Party and Peoples National Convention, both struggling for recognition as the right legacy of Dr Kwame Nkrumah, Ablekuma should be yet another indication that 'divided they fall, united they are capable of achieving something.' A total of 93,994 registered voters were expected to cast their votes but provisional figures from the EC indicated a low turnout.

In all, about 28,000 registered voters cast their votes in the election won by NPP 's Victor Okuley Nortey with 15,210, followed by NDC's Ismail Safianu Bawa, with 10,569 votes. Solomon Buyoga Sulemani, independent candidate, came third with 566 votes, while Musah Nartey of the People's National Convention (PNC), had 297 votes and Hajia Fati Suraj, of the Convention Party polling 254 votes.