By Daniel Bampoe
Baba Jamal Mohammed Ahmed, Ghana’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, has secured the National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary ticket for the Ayawaso East Constituency after emerging victorious in a highly charged party primary that has since been engulfed in allegations of inducement, vote-buying, and controversy.
The primary, held on Saturday, February 7, 2026, was organised to select the party’s candidate for the March 3 by-election, following the death of the sitting Member of Parliament, Mahama Naser Toure.
His passing created a vacancy in one of the NDC’s traditional strongholds in Greater Accra, making the contest both politically sensitive and strategically important for the party’s national fortunes.
Results And Outcome
According to the results declared at the end of voting, Baba Jamal polled 431 votes to defeat his closest rival, Hajia Amina Adam, the widow of the late MP, who obtained 399 votes.
Other contenders performed far behind the two leading candidates, with Mohammed Ramme, the NDC Ayawaso East Constituency Chairman, securing 88 votes, Dr Yakubu Azindow polling 45 votes, and Najib Mohammed Sani recording 1 vote.
The outcome confirmed Baba Jamal as the NDC’s parliamentary candidate for the by-election in a constituency widely regarded as an NDC stronghold.
Controversy Over Inducements
However, the victory was immediately overshadowed by widespread reports that delegates were allegedly given 32-inch flat-screen television sets, boiled eggs, and cash amount of GH¢3,000 by Baba Jamal’s campaign team on the day of the primary.
The reports triggered intense public debate, with critics describing the acts as blatant inducement and vote-buying, while supporters of the candidate defended the actions as gestures of appreciation and goodwill to party delegates.
Baba Jamal himself publicly dismissed claims that the items and cash were meant to influence voting, insisting that “gifts do not determine conscience” and that the decision of delegates reflected confidence in his leadership and vision for Ayawaso East, not material inducements.
NDC Condemnation
The controversy prompted swift intervention from the NDC’s national leadership.
In an official statement dated February 7, 2026, the party condemned the alleged inducement and vote-buying at the Ayawaso East primary and announced the immediate launch of a full-scale investigation into the conduct of aspirants and their campaign teams.
Signed by General Secretary, Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, the statement described the reported actions as an affront to the party’s values and principles, and warned that the NDC would take swift disciplinary action against any candidate found culpable.
The party further cautioned that future incidents of this nature could attract severe sanctions, including the possible cancellation of internal elections where bribery and inducement are established.
Discrediting the Mussa Dankwa survey
Baba Jamal’s victory has also effectively discredited pre-election survey projections by political research firm Global InfoAnalytics, led by Mussa Dankwa, which had predicted that Hajia Amina Adam would win the primary based on sympathy votes, grassroots appeal, and the legacy of her late husband.
The outcome of the election contradicted those projections, reinforcing criticisms from sections of the party base that opinion polls and surveys often fail to reflect the true dynamics of internal party politics, especially in delegate-based elections where financial influence and mobilisation strategies play a major role.
Background
The Ayawaso East primary attracted intense interest because of the stature of the aspirants and the symbolic weight of the seat.
Hajia Amina Adam’s candidacy was seen by many as a continuity of her late husband’s political legacy, while Baba Jamal entered the race as a high-profile national figure with diplomatic experience and deep roots in NDC structures.
Other aspirants, including constituency executives and professionals, also sought the ticket, reflecting the constituency’s political importance and the perception that winning the NDC primary in Ayawaso East is almost equivalent to winning the parliamentary seat itself.
Road To By-Election
With the primary concluded, Baba Jamal now leads the NDC into the March 3, 2026 by-election, where he is expected to face the New Patriotic Party’s candidate, Baba Ali, in what is shaping up to be a closely watched national contest.
Beyond the electoral battle, the Ayawaso East race has reopened national conversations about money in politics, internal party democracy, delegate inducement, and political ethics, raising broader questions about the credibility and integrity of the internal party electoral processes.
