NDC leadership not happy with Baba Jamal’s victory

Deputy General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Haruna Mohammed, has claimed that key figures within the National Democratic Congress (NDC) are not happy following Baba Jamal’s victory in the party’s February 7 Ayawaso East parliamentary primaries.

According to him, the alleged dissatisfaction stems from the widespread accusations of vote-buying and other election malpractices levelled against the parliamentary candidate-elect, which ultimately led to his recall from post as Ghana’s High Commissioner to Nigeria.

In an interview on Joy News’ The Probe on Sunday, Haruna Mohammed asserted that the Presidency, along with NDC leadership and the Majority in Parliament, were unhappy with Baba Jamal’s win, and suggested that his close ties to NDC National Chairman Johnson Asiedu Nketia, may have also fueled the said dissatisfaction.

“It is a clear chance to tell the people of Ghana that the Presidency was not happy that Asiedu Nketia’s person had won the election. And all the machinery is against Baba Jamal; they don’t just like the man, they hate him, including the Majority caucus in Parliament. I don’t know what he has done for him to be hated so much within the circle of the NDC,” he stated.

The NPP Deputy Secretary further alleged that some Members of Parliament from the Majority side visited Baba Jamal’s closest contender Hajia Amina Adam, prior to the primary to offer cash contributions in support of her bid.

“A day before the election, all of them went to the woman, they went Hajia and all of them contributed money for her, I don’t know the amount, but they contributed money for Hajia,” he claimed. “So, they are not happy that Baba Jamal has won against their candidate, that is very unfortunate, and that is what is happening in the NDC today.”

Baba Jamal’s victory in what has become a highly talked about primary, sets him on the path to contesting the Ayawaso East parliamentary by-election scheduled for March 3.

Multiple sources indicate that claims around the primary included alleged distribution of items such as 32-inch television sets and food to delegates during the voting on Saturday.