NPP Walewale parliamentary primary re-run: Nominations open for 3 days

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) opens nominations today for a re-run of the Walewale Constituency primary scheduled for Sunday, September 8, 2024, after the High Court in Tamale annulled the result of the earlier poll.

The court presided over by Justice Richard Kogjawah held yesterday that the poll that otherwise elected Dr Kabiru Mahama as the party’s parliamentary candidate for the constituency in January this year was flawed with irregularities, impersonation and overvoting, and ordered a re-run.

The party consequently announced the opening of nominations for the re-run of the primary as part of a roadmap for Sunday’s poll.

A statement signed by the General Secretary of the party, Justin Kodua Frimpong, said nominations for the primary would close on Thursday, September 5, 2024.

The court said it would release the full judgement on Thursday, September 12, 2024.

Nomination

As part of the re-run process, the party waived any costs related to the primary for all candidates who participated in the original poll in January 2024.

However, any other person interested in the primary would have to pay a non-refundable fee of GH¢3,000 for the nomination forms, the party statement said.

A further GH¢35,000 would have to be paid by prospective candidates to successfully file to contest in the poll, the statement added.

It said all youth between ages 18 and 40, women and persons with disabilities willing to contest would have 50 per cent of all fees waived for them.

Background

Dr Mahama, a special advisor to the Vice-President and flag bearer of the NPP, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, narrowly defeated the Minister of Women, Gender and Social Protection, Hajia Lariba, in a tightly contested primary.

The election, conducted under heavy security with the presence of regional and constituency executives, saw Dr Mahama poll 345 votes as against Hajia Lariba's 338 votes.

Two other candidates, Tahiru Sham-Una and Jangdoo Mahama, polled 145 and 1 vote, respectively.

Unsatisfied with the outcome, the incumbent MP headed to court on January 29, 2024, to challenge the results of the parliamentary primary, citing electoral irregularities and malpractice by the party, Dr Mahama, and the Electoral Commission.

She sought an injunction to prevent Dr Mahama from holding himself as the winner and parliamentary candidate of the party for the constituency.

On March 27, 2024, the court granted the party’s plea to settle the matter out of court, but the parties involved in the dispute could not agree and had to return to the court for a hearing.

Reactions

Addressing the media after the hearing in court yesterday, counsel for Dr Mahama, Samson Lardi Anyenini, expressed disappointment over the court’s decision.

“The bottom line is that once it was established by fact and not concoction, pure evidence, documentary, telephone conversation and video encounters that the elections were fair, our point was that, the law is that, if you commit a crime, you will not benefit from your crime," Mr Anyenini said.

“Once the plaintiff was found to be the one who got the people impersonating the six dead people, and who got the people impersonating the absentees, she must not benefit from her wrong. The law is that if you commit a wrong, you must not benefit,” he added.

He indicated that his client was waiting to have a look at the full judgement before they could decide on the outcome of the ruling.

Counsel for the plaintiff, Sylvester Isang, said: “It is sad that the case has to take us this far because that is the home constituency of the presidential candidate of the NPP, but it is better late than never”.

Writer’s email: mohammed.fugu@graphic.com.gh