Two withdraw as 12 remain in NDC Tamale Central primary race

The race to represent the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the upcoming Tamale Central by-election has narrowed to 12 aspirants after two contenders pulled out over the weekend.

The nomination process, which opened on Friday, August 22 and closed on Sunday, August 24, attracted a total of 14 aspirants. However, National Vice Chairman of the NDC, Abdul Rauf Halid, and Alhaji Ibrahim Seidu, an engineer, have since withdrawn from the contest, both citing personal reasons.

Those still in the race include former Tamale Metropolitan Chief Executive, Abdul Hanan Abdul Rahaman Gundadoo; Principal Research Assistant at the University for Development Studies, Seidu Mohammed; diplomat Mariama Naama Salifu; and Dr. Rahman Abdul Rashid. Others are civil engineer Dr. Aliu Abdul Hamid; Prof. Razak Abubakari of Tamale Technical University; Alhaji Alhassan Nbalba, former Chairman of the NDC’s UK/Ireland Chapter; and Prof. Alidu Seidu, former Head of the Political Science Department at the University of Ghana. The list also features Hajia Muliaka Sualisu; lawyer Sadat Harun Alhassan; entrepreneur Alhassan Osman Gomda; and the party’s Northern Regional Treasurer, Hajia Shamima Yakubu.

Party officials have scheduled vetting, balloting, and appeals for Sunday, August 31, with the internal election set for Saturday, September 6, between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. The Deputy Northern Regional Secretary of the NDC, Ziblim Saaka, described the nomination exercise as smooth, noting that while two individuals formally pulled out, others who initially picked forms did not proceed. In a statement earlier, the General Secretary of the party, Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, urged aspirants and their supporters to conduct their campaigns in a spirit of fairness, restraint, and unity.

The Tamale Central seat became vacant following the tragic death of the late MP and Minister for Environment, Science and Technology, Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed, in a helicopter crash. The Electoral Commission has set Tuesday, September 30, 2025, for the by-election. The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has announced it will not field a candidate, leaving the contest largely in the hands of the NDC.