Confusion rocks NPP in Savelugu as independent candidate emerges

There is currently confusion within the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Savelugu Constituency of the Northern Region, which is likely to affect the party's quest to reclaim the seat.

MyNewsGh.com has confirmed that the party faces a herculean task of mending internal cracks before facing the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the December 7, 2024 polls.

The confusion follows the emergence of an Independent Parliamentary Candidate who was previously an integral party member in the constituency, for reasons that are yet to be known.

The NPP won the Savelugu seat for the first time in 2016 when similar cracks emerged in the NDC but lost it in 2020 when the latter and its executives mended their differences.

It is not immediately known what may have triggered the former NPP Constituency Secretary, Sheik Abubakar Bawah, to make a sudden U-turn against the party's Parliamentary Candidate, Hajia Fatahiya Abdul Aziz, and to seek to contest her in the area.

Many believe the irreconcilable differences between the candidate and the former constituency executive may have sparked the issue, with attempts to link the former Member of Parliament (MP) for the area, Hon. Somed Gunu, to the issue.

However, Somed Gunu has disassociated himself from the Independent Parliamentary Candidate of the Savelugu constituency, Mr. Abubakari Bawah, in a statement:

"I, Hon. Muhammad Abdul-Samed Gunu, former Member of Parliament for the Savelugu Constituency (2017-2020), hereby declare that I do not support the independent candidacy of Mr. Abubakari Bawah in the upcoming elections."

According to the former MP, Mr. Bawah previously served as his campaign assistant but chose to support his opponent, Hajia Fatahiya, during the last parliamentary primaries.

"I, therefore, urge all party loyalists in the constituency to refrain from supporting his candidacy, as it is contrary to the party's interests."

He indicated that the party has duly elected its Presidential and Parliamentary candidates for the Savelugu Constituency, and it is their collective responsibility to support the party's parliamentary candidate to ensure victory in the December 7 general elections.

NDC's Confusion in 2016

It would be recalled that internal bickering and unresolved confusion cost the NDC the Savelugu seat in 2016, despite sustained efforts by the National Executives of the party to resolve the matter.

John Mahama won in the Constituency in 2016, polling 21,433 votes, representing 55.35%, as against then-candidate Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who polled 15,729 votes, representing 40.62%.

In the Parliamentary race, Muhammed Abdul-Samed Gunu of the NPP had 13,334 votes, representing 34.21%, as against the NDC's Alhassan Abdulai Red, who got 12,590 votes, representing 32.31%.

The independent candidate, Alhassan Iddrisu, who felt cheated and broke away from the NDC to contest the seat, also obtained 12,623 votes, representing 32.39%.

This paved the way for the NPP to win the seat for the first time since 1992.