NPP to Field Alhaji Baba

... Against NDC's Mobarak

THE TWO major political parties in the country, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC), are already set to pitch their strength against each other in the impending bye-election, following the demise last month of Dr. Gibril Adamu Mohammed, the NDC Parliamentarian for Asawase, one of the newly created constituencies in the country.

The Chronicle has, however, gathered that all the parties, including the minor ones, are in full swing tactically and skillfully to ensure victory.

The Electoral Commission (EC) is leaving no stone unturned to prepare the battlefield for a clash that has been aptly tagged as crucial for the contestants.

Currently, information available to The Chronicle points to documentary processes and that April 21 of this year might be the day for the bye-election.

The Chronicle's intelligence has picked up information that Ghana's Ambassador to Guinea, Alhaji Baba, would contest the seat on the ticket of the NPP, following the conviction that he could win the seat for the party, having contributed immensely to the socio-economic development of the area, which attracted the support of the ethnic chiefs.

That means he (Baba) is the replacement for the Deputy Minister-designate for the Ashanti region, Mrs. Appiagyei, who was defeated by the late Dr. Gibril.

Alhaji Baba is seen as the hope for the NPP since the constituency is highly dominated by Muslim communities whose voting pattern cannot be predicted.

The Ashanti regional first vice Chairman of the NPP, Mr. Osei Assibey Antwi has confirmed The Chronicle's intelligence report and said polling station chairmen endorsed the candidature of the Ambassador at a meeting in Kumasi recently.

This goes to suggest that there would not be any primary election since the defeated NPPcandidate in the 2004 elections had withdrawn from the contest and might probably be content with her appointment as Deputy Minister for the Ashanti region.

This paper, however, gathered from sources that Alhaji Baba's candidature there faces an objection by family members of Baba, but Osei-Assibey dismissed this as rumour, adding that it could be a propaganda by the opposition in an attempt to outwit the NPP.

He believes that in the world of politics, one decides for himself where to go and what to accept as a guardian principle.

The main opposition party, the NDC, which endeared itself to the constituents in the last election, is working assiduously to annex and retain the seat.

The regional executive who met last Tuesday to strategize towards the election, has opened nomination for interested individuals.

It was gathered that so far, four persons, including the Deputy National Organizer, Alhaji Awudu Sheriff, have expressed interest.

Other names that have also cropped up are Alhaji Ahmed Abubakari, Mr. Mobarak and a student of the KNUST, whose name was not readily available.

Mobarak is, however, tipped to win the primary election to represent the NDC at the bye-elections.