Ayawaso East: Names of Baba Jamal and Dr Azindow pop up as possible NDC replacement for late Naser Toure Mahama
Following the completion of the seven-day post-burial Muslim prayers for the late Ayawaso East Member of Parliament (MP), Naser Toure Mahama, the constituents, especially within the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) have started public discussions on finding a successor, with some proposing Baba Jamal Mohammed Ahmed as a suitable replacement.
Others have put up Dr Yakubu Azindow's name as also another possible replacement.
They both contested the last NDC parliamentary primary ahead of the 2024 general election with Naser Toure Mahama, with Mr Mahama winning with 675 votes, while Baba Jamal Mohammed Ahmed got 525 votes, as against Dr Yakubu Azindow's 215 votes.
The seven-day post-burial prayer for the late Naser Toure Mahama was observed at the national mosque on Sunday, January 11, 2026.
This marked the first clear turning point for a constituency preparing for an inevitable by-election following the death of its sitting Member of Parliament.
Mr Mahama won the seat on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress at the 2024 general election.
Under Article 112(5) of the 1992 Constitution, the Electoral Commission is required to hold a by-election within three months after the Speaker of Parliament formally notifies it of a vacancy.
Although the constitutional process was yet to be publicly triggered, discussions about who should represent the constituency have started within the community.
Speaking in Nima after the prayers, Hajia Fati Mohammed, popularly known as Hajia Kande Majesty, said residents had accepted Mr Mahama’s death in line with Islamic belief but could not ignore the political consequences of losing a sitting MP.
Hajia Kande Majesty, who is the Magajia of the NDC National Zongo Caucus and a former two-term women’s organiser in Ayawaso East, described Mr Mahama as a long-serving figure who spent close to 14 years working in the constituency, even though he did not complete four full parliamentary terms.
“As Muslims, we accept death as the will of Allah,” she said. “But now the question before us is who can come and do more for the constituency.”
She referenced the last NDC parliamentary primary in Ayawaso East, which Mr Mahama won with 675 votes, while Baba Jamal Mohammed Ahmed, secured 525 votes and Dr Yakubu Azindow polled 215 votes.
According to Hajia Kande Majesty, those figures explain why certain names continue to feature in conversations about succession.
“Mr Jamal came second,” she said. “After that, he did not walk away. He stayed in the community and continued working.”
She pointed to Mr Jamal’s continued involvement in Nima, including support for party coordinators and assistance to women, as reasons some residents mention him as a possible replacement. She also noted his long-standing ties to the area, having lived and attended school in Nima.
Hajia Kande Majesty cautioned against opening a crowded internal contest, saying that it could divide the constituency at a sensitive time.
“If we bring many people again, we will divide ourselves,” she said.
A more procedural view was offered by Alhaji Ismail Ali Horoya, the Greater Accra Regional Zongo Caucus Coordinator of the NDC and a former Ayawaso East Constituency Organiser. He said no one had formally declared an intention to contest the seat.
Mr Horoya said attention within the party since Mr Mahama’s death had centered on funeral arrangements and Islamic rites, with political decisions expected to come after direction from the party’s national leadership.
“There is a vacuum now, and there are rumours,” he said. “But until national gives direction, nobody can say this is the way forward.”
From the community, Mr Awalu Angulu Awudu Agbaadzenaa, president of the Concerned Nima Citizens Foundation, said the by-election should not be treated as a routine exercise but as a chance to reassess representation.
Mr Awalu acknowledged that names such as Mr Jamal and Dr Azindow continue to come up because they contested the last NDC primary and are well known in the constituency. He warned against imposing a candidate on residents.
Mr Angulu said discussions should not be limited only to individuals who have previously contested.
He mentioned Abdul Salam Daru and Najib Mohammed Sani as younger party members who could grow into leadership roles if given the opportunity.
He added that political development in the constituency should not be confined to familiar names.
“If somebody is imposed, it will bring serious problems,” he said, adding that some party supporters have privately indicated they could consider independent options if they feel excluded from the process.
Another issue shaping discussions in Ayawaso East is whether the widow of the late MP will contest the seat. Supporters are reported to be mobilising, although no formal declaration has been made.
Under Islamic law, a widow is required to observe iddah, a mourning period of four months and ten days. During this period, remarriage is prohibited and personal conduct is guided by specific religious obligations. Some Islamic scholars have explained that iddah does not directly bar political ambition, but it calls for restraint and respect for mourning practices. This has contributed to debate over the timing and appropriateness of any possible candidacy.
Ghana has seen recent cases where widows have succeeded their late husbands in Parliament. In Ayawaso West Wuogon, Lydia Seyram Alhassan won the 2019 by-election following the death of her husband, Emmanuel Boakye Agyarko. In Mfantseman, Ophelia Mensah Hayford won the seat in the 2020 general election after her husband, Ekow Quansah Hayford's death.
In Shai Osudoku, Linda Ocloo replaced her late husband after his death in 2016.
By-elections triggered by the deaths of sitting MPs, including those in Ayawaso West Wuogon and Akwatia, have shown that such contests often place candidate selection, party unity and local acceptance under close public attention.
The New Patriotic Party has already indicated its intention to contest the Ayawaso East by-election when it is called, despite the constituency’s history as an NDC stronghold.
Ayawaso East remains in mourning, but the close of the seven-day prayers has signalled a shift from grief towards decision-making, as residents weigh who should next speak for them in Parliament.
