Race for Northern NDC chairman heightens

The race for the Northern Regional chairmanship position of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has heightened as some heavyweights of the party are said to have thrown their weight behind two contenders in the race.

According to some political watchers, the alleged covert and overt support by some leading members of the NDC for the two candidates contesting for the chairmanship position had heightened the contest at the regional level and if not well managed, could affect the unity and cohesion of the party after the elections.

The incumbent Regional Organiser, Mr Godfred Wumbie popularly known as ‘Yellow’, is alleged to have the support of former President John Dramani Mahama who has launched a comeback while Alhaji Ibrahim Mobilla is alleged to have the support of the Majority Leader in Parliament and Member of Parliament (MP) for Tamale South Constituency, Mr Haruna Iddrisu.

Whether the allegations turn out to be true or not, some party faithful contend that the contest would be a two-horse race that would be fiercely contested between Mr Wumbei and Alhaji Mobilla. The two great umbrella members on September 1, 2018 would slug it out for the leadership position of the party at the Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium in Tamale after the incumbent Regional Chairman, Mr Sofo Azorka decided not to go for re-election.

The incumbent Chairman, Mr Azorka, after serving as chairman and regional vice chairman for four years each respectively is said to have decided to move to the national level to contest for a National Vice Chairman position hence his decision not to go for re-election.

Other contenders ‘lagging behind’ in the chairmanship race include Mr Moses Bukari Mabengba, a former Northern Regional Minister and Ambassador to Angola, Alhaji Musah Azumah, incumbent Deputy Regional Organiser, Alhaji Mohammed Sumani Zakaria and Alhaji Umar Farouk.

A total of 71 people have filed their nominations to contest for the 15 regional positions at stake in the Northern Region for the opposition NDC.

Messages

The former Northern Regional Minister has his banners and posters at vantage points in the Tamale Metropolis with a new name, Moses Bukari Mabengba.

In an interview, Mr Mabengba said he had toured the entire 31 constituencies in the region to sell his message to the delegates and was confident of victory in the upcoming delegates’ elections.

For his part, Alhaji Ibrahim Mobila said he would unite the rank and file of the party and work hard towards recapturing all parliamentary seats in the region to enable the party to win the 2020 general election.

Alhaji Azumah also believed most of the party members, especially the elderly, sacrificed for the party but were relegated to the background which was one of the causes of the party’s defeat in the 2016 general election, adding that “I will work hard to reorganise the party in the region and recognise persons who sacrificed for the party when given the nod in the elections”.

Other contestants
The vice chairman position is being contested by five people, while the organiser position has four candidates with another five battling for the deputy organiser position.
Four candidates are vying for the treasurer position, while four candidates are contesting for the deputy treasurer position.
The communication and deputy communication positions have three and four candidates contesting respectively and the Zongo Caucus coordinator position has eight candidates.

Three candidates are also in to ‘lock horns’ for the secretary position, while two candidates are contesting the deputy secretary position.

The youth organiser position has three people contesting and seven others contesting for the deputy youth organiser and six candidates are vying for the Zongo caucus position.
For the organiser position, four candidates are contesting while the women organiser and deputy women organiser positions are being contested by four and seven contenders respectively.

Elections

About 1,100 delegates are expected to cast their votes for 71 candidates for the various positions in the delegates elections slated for September 1, 2018.

The Northern Regional Director of Elections of the NDC, Rashid Tanko, told the Daily Graphic that all was set for the delegates’ elections and urged the aspirants to desist from politics of insults.