NPP picks female GIMPA student to contest Wa Central seat

Delegates of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) on Saturday voted Hajia Humu Awudu, a female final year student of Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), to contest the Wa Central Constituency parliamentary seat.

This is the first time the Party had chosen a woman to contest that parliamentary seat, which had consecutively been held by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) since 1992.

Hajia Humu, 37, studying Public Administration, made history in the Party’s “orphan constituency” election by polling 302 votes to floor her male contender, Mr Issahaku Tahiru Moomin, the Wa Municipal Chief Executive, who had 260 votes.

Mr Moomin has been the NPP’s parliamentary candidate three consecutive times but failed in all the attempts to garner substantial votes to snatch the seat from NDC’s Alhaji Abdul-Rashid Pelpuo, who is going for a fourth uninterrupted four-year term.

Hajia Humu, also a businesswoman and philanthropist, was among four female parliamentary aspirants in the Upper West Region.

“I came into the election because of the youth. Those who are brilliant but needy. I came to this election because of poor women who have brilliant business plans but have no money to carry them through,” she told the media.

“We need somebody who will bring and empower them to give them jobs, push them to let them grow. This is a win that shows we are all one.”

“It is a win that shows that people want change and they want to try a woman too.”

Political analysts believe she could pull surprises for the first time to unseat the NDC since she appears to have strong youth appeal and that of the large female Muslim community.

Mr Seidu Bomanjo, a Communication Development Practitioner, told the GNA on Sunday that; “Wa Central Constituency is a paternalistic (male dominated) society where people, especially males, will not like women leadership”.

However, he added; “She has been able to do a lot of things within the shortest possible time – setting up a foundation to give loans to women and securing jobs and scholarships for the youth”.

Other contestants for the seat included Nurideen Ahmad Froko, scooping 206 votes, Bashir Jannat Bibii, 12 votes, and Salifu Abubakari Orison, managing seven votes.

The NPP’s ‘orphan constituency’ parliamentary primaries took place in six constituencies in Upper West.

In the Nadowli-Kaleo Constituency, Madam Katherine Lankono placed second with 159 votes out of the four aspirants, while Mr Elvis Botah won the bid with 277; Mr Cornelius Belbaa had 55 votes, and Eric Dakura had one.

Mr Paul Derygobaah won in the Jirapa Constituency with 357 votes while Madam Christine B. Amadu had 185 votes and Alex Taabazun placed third with 45 votes.

In the Lambussie Constituency, Bright Yelviel-Dong Baligi garnered 201 votes to be elected the parliamentary candidate, while John Doughr Baloroo had 99 votes, Stephen Bemile placed third with 46 votes, and Stephen Delle had 33 votes.

Mr Imori Nandi Sanda, the Daffiama-Bussie-Issa District Chief Executive, pulled 130 votes to emerge winner out of five aspirants who contested the DBI Constituency slot.

While his rival, Felix Naah had 44 votes, Mujeeb Kelle collected 41 votes, Dr Elias Sorry, 38 votes and Kanyiri D. Yakubu received 10 votes.

In the Wa West Constituency, Mr Dan Dari Kuusongno scooped 224 votes to win the Wa West Constituency bid, while his closest rival, Mr Edward Laabiri Sabo, the District Chief Executive, had 197 votes and Mr Mac Banda, 192 votes.