One of the juiciest prizes in Ghana's electoral dispensation is currently in a state of flux. The Northern Region capital, Tamale, is a sprawling metropolis that does not seem to follow any planning regulation. Spreading in all directions, the National Electoral Commission late last year decided to increase its constituencies from two to three.

Since Election '92, which ushered in the 4th Republic, Tamale has been represented by the Choggu-Tishigu Constituency and the Gukpegu-Sabongida Constituency. The former is currently held by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the latter by the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).

Barring any legal hold-ups, the people of Tamale would go into the forthcoming elections through Tamale North, Central and South Constituencies.

The NPP and NDC are salivating and both parties hope to capture all three constituencies.

The current sitting MPs are Alhaji Mustapha Ali Idris (NPP) and Alhaji Abukari Sumani (NDC).

ADM was in Tamale and picked up the trend on the ground in the NPP camp and to put it rather bluntly, if disturbingly, to the party's supporters, the party is in total disarray in this juiciest of electoral plums.

The party could yet lose all the three new constituencies if the confusion currently reigning is not sorted out as soon as possible. Though Tamale is a bustling metropolis, the NPP is beginning to look like one of the lesser parties where such vital areas like organization, funding, co-ordination, women's affairs and overall leadership are either lucklustre or totally absent.

A tug-of-war is currently raging between the regional executives of the party, headquartered in Tamale, and new people who want to unseat them. A building contractor, Mr. Bugri Naabu is campaigning to unseat the current Regional Chairman, Alhaji Salifu (C.O.P.). Bugri Naabu's challenge is extremely popular and has the support of many young people.

The general impression gathered by ADM is that people would like to see Salifu C.O.P. honoured with some emeritus title while making way for a new face to take the party in the region to Election 2004 and beyond.

Said a young man to ADM, "Alhaji C.O.P. has done his best but the time has come for him to make way for new ideas."

But ADM has also learnt from the Tamale grapevine that C.O.P. would not leave without a fight (his supporters would not allow him), which in this election year would be extremely deletrious to the party.

Other members of the regional executive who are generally regarded as ineffective are expected to make way, but like C.O.P., they are also expected to dig in.

A battle royal is also expected in the selection of the parliamentary candidates. The names being mentioned are those of the incumbent, Alhaji Mustapha Ali, the NPP Youth Leader Mr. Hamid Mustapha, Mr. Mohammed Anta and Mr. Abdul-Samad Harruna Attah.

So far it is Mr. Attah who has openly expressed his desire to run in Gukpegu-Sabongida to challenge the incumbent at the primaries should there be only two constituencies, or contest either Tamale Central or South.

Said a leading member of the party, "The best arrangement would be to get Mr. Mustapha Ali to take the South, Mr. Attah Central and Mr. Anta North." Others agree with this arrangement, but not so some of the youth who would vote against their party should some names appear on the ticket.

For some reason, the NDC Youth Leader Mr. Harruna Iddrisu has made the NPP incumbent at Gukpegu-Sabongida his quarry and has vowed to "hunt" him in any constituency he decides to run in.

Perhaps aware of the looming disaster, a very leading member of the party told ADM that a crisis meeting is being organized at Damongo some time this month to try to stem the chaotic situation.

ADM's own observation has revealed a party that is leaving too much to chance and taking things for granted which may lead to electoral defeat...

(Read Part II in tomorrow's edition)