By Grace Zigah
The Ayawaso East parliamentary primary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has evolved from a routine internal contest into a high-stakes political confrontation that exposes deepening factional divisions, emerging presidential ambitions, and a quiet realignment of power within the party’s top hierarchy.
At the centre of the political storm is Mohammed Baba Jamal Ahmed, whose victory has now been widely framed as a strategic win for NDC National Chairman Johnson Asiedu Nketiah; President John Dramani Mahama’s choice for the constituency Hajia Amin Adam lost in the race.
Factions, Ambitions, And Future Presidential Battles
Within NDC political circles, Baba Jamal is broadly regarded as a political product of Asiedu Nketiah’s internal party structure, making his victory symbolic far beyond the constituency.
Asiedu Nketiah is not only the party’s National Chairman but is also widely believed to be preparing the ground for a future presidential bid, positioning himself through control of party machinery, grassroots structures, and internal influence networks.
However, President Mahama still wants to hold on to the party operational centre, but the outcome shows strongly that the party control is slipping from his hands.
Hajia Amin Adam — widow of the late MP Mahama Naser Toure — is widely perceived to be the candidate the president was backing including lining up NDC MPs to throw their support behind their departed colleague’s widow.
This political geometry transformed the Ayawaso East primary into a proxy battle between two power centres:
Mahama’s Strategic Distance
Multiple party insiders indicate that Mahama does not support Asiedu Nketiah’s long-term presidential ambitions, creating a quiet but growing rift between the President and the party’s National Chairman.
This separation has reshaped the internal balance of the NDC, with the party now effectively operating on dual power tracks:
One anchored in party structures led by Asiedu Nketiah and General Secretary Fifi Fiavi Kwetey
The other anchored in government authority and Mahama’s personal political network.
This structural split has created what many insiders describe as a dual-centre party system, where the party machinery and the government machinery no longer move in full alignment.
The Bribery Scandal And Rapid Party Response
The political dynamics intensified dramatically after allegations of vote-buying and inducement involving Baba Jamal surfaced during the primary.
Strangely, most of the aspirants lavished on the delegates mouthwatering cash and electronic gadgets as well as food items.
Reports of cash distribution, television sets, food items, and other material inducements triggered widespread public outrage and social media backlash.
In response, the NDC quickly issued a condemnation statement, announcing investigations into the alleged bribery. However, public confidence in the process remained low.
Critics argue that the move was largely symbolic, pointing to Baba Jamal’s long-standing cadre status within the party and his proximity to the party’s power structure.
Skepticism deepened because the statement was issued by the same party leadership — Fifi Fiavi Kwetey (General Secretary) and Asiedu Nketiah (National Chairman) — who are perceived as politically aligned with Baba Jamal’s faction.
This has fueled public perception that the investigation may lack independence and meaningful consequences.
Public Distrust And Perception of Internal Protection
Among party grassroots and the wider public, the dominant narrative is that the condemnation will not yield real accountability, with critics describing the process as internal political damage control rather than genuine discipline.
Commentators argue that the situation reflects a deeper institutional problem:
a party leadership structure that controls investigations into its own political allies, creating a system where internal discipline is filtered through factional loyalty rather than ethical standards.
This perception has been worsened by the growing belief that the party leadership — Asiedu Nketiah and Fifi Kwetey — now function as a political bloc distinct from Mahama and his government, operating an autonomous power centre within the party.
A Party in Structural Transition
The Ayawaso East primary has therefore exposed a deeper political transformation within the NDC.
