Recalled Ghana High Commissioner to Nigeria Baba Jamal and odas face off for Ayawaso East by-election

Di electoral commission for Ghana dey organise one by-election for di Ayawaso East constituency on Tuesday 3 March 2025.

Dis be afta di member of parliament for di area Mahama Naser Toure die early dis year for office.

Former Ghana High Commissioner to Nigeria Baba Jamal wey abandon im post for Abuja to contest for di govment National Democratic Congress (NDC) primaries for di area, dey face opposition New Patriotic party (NPP) candidate Baba Ali Yussif.

Three oda pipo bin dey on top di ballot paper – Ibrahim Iddrisu of di Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG), Mohammed Umar Sanda wey go independent afta im comot di govment party NDC and David Kanor, anoda independent candidate.

Oga for di electoral commission wey dey in charge of research, Fred Tetteh tok say everytin don set for di vote on Tuesday.

Ova 49,000 pipo dey expected to vote for 113 to select dia MP, di electoral commission don warn say make pipo no do unlawful tins for dia.

"Security and oda logistics don set for dis vote – wey we still dey warn everibodi say vote-buying and oda forms of electoral misconduct be crime wey pipo wey dey guilty go face di law," oga Fred Tetteh tell journalists ahead of di vote.

Im add say, "pesin wey get di most vote for dis by-election go win am, na so if we find say pipo wan tiff di election, di commission go take action."

For di govment NDC primaries to select dia candidate for dis election, plenti kasala hapun.

Di party confam say candidates bin share TV, motorbikes, food items, cash and oda tins to voters ahead of di poll, sometin wey di party describe as unacceptable.

In fact, former Ghana High Commissioner to Nigeria oga Baba Jamal wey di president recall from im post for Abuja, also chop accuse say im bin share plenti tins to voters dat day.

Dat be one of di reasons di president comot am from di post as high commissioner sake of di president tok say, "na im be di only public officer for dat contest wey im for sabi say to dey use money and oda tins to buy votes no good.

Ghana police say dem deploy many officers for dis election – across di polling centres and oda key places.

Dem warn pipo against "violence, intimidation, misinformation and any oda act wey fit affect di process."

Political researchers don predict say di former Ghana high commissioner be favourite to win di by-election for di govment party stronghold.

But di opposition NPP candidate Baba Yussif say im go shock pipo to win di election.

Who be dis two leading candidates?

Baba Jamal – di 56-year-old lawyer and businessman contest di Akwatia constituency seat as far back as 2008.

Im lose dat election afta dem bin drag di case for court.

Later di next four years in 2012, im finally win di election to represent di pipo of Akwatia for parliament.

Four years later, im lose di contest to represent Akwatia to di opposition NPP candidate Mercy Ama Sey for 2016.

Afta im fail to re-enter parliament, Baba Jamal decide to focus on im law career and oda businesses bifor president Mahama appoint am as high commissioner to Nigeria for September 2025.

Baba Jamal say he dey provide scholarship for young pipo wey he dey give pipo interest-free loans every year to pipo.

"I decide to return to Ghana to contest for di position for MP sake of I want serve my pipo well. No be about money; for my life, I bin dey support many pipo wit fees, business capital, and oda tins."

"I wan develop dis constituency for di pipo," Baba Jamal tok as im hope to win di by-election by ova 70%.

Baba Jamal contest di Ayawaso East primaries for di govment party two times for di past wey im no win until di recent one afta di sitting MP Mahama Naser Toure don die.

Im dey hope say dis time, im go win to represent di pipo for parliament.

Baba Ali Yussif - Di opposition NPP bin pick oga Baba Ali Yussif as dia candidate for dis election afta di sitting MP don die.

Di party general secretary say dem decide to select Baba Ali Yussif afta dem bin consult wit stakeholders and oda party pipo.

Bifor now, Baba Yussif bin dey serve as di constituency secretary for di NPP.

Im be teacher for more dan 15 years wey im be educator and one of di long-serving secretaries for di Greater Accra region for di party.

Im later get masters degree from di Accra Business school.

Di party bin dey describe am as "grassroot mobilizer wey dey dedicated."

"Baba Yussif be one of your own, im dey stay for hia wey im dey work wit you for dis constituency - make you vote for am," di NPP national organizer Henry Nana Boakye tok constituency members during dia last-minute campaign ahead of di by-election.

Baba Yussif promise youth development and empowerment for pipo in di constituency.