Baba Jamal
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) politics in Nima, East Ayawaso Constituency of Accra, is set to witness new waves as Baba Jamal, the immediate-past Member of Parliament (MP) for Akwatia in the Eastern Region, seeks to pitch camp in the area.
The grounds-testing exploits of the man are already underway with his increased presence at social functions such as naming ceremonies, weddings and Islamic funerals – called aduwa in Hausa.
A battle royale is in the offing as the incumbent MP, Nasser Toure, would put everything in the ring to protect his turf against the efforts of the ‘Akwatia Boy.’
Baba Jamal, who is said to have lived in Nima, will use his former links in the densely populated suburb where Hausa is the principal language.
Sources have confirmed to DAILY GUIDE that Baba Jamal is already engaging with some constituency executives of the NDC to pave his way to contest in the Ayawaso East parliamentary primary, but the effort is not as smooth-sailing as it appears. Supporters of the incumbent MP are resisting the overt and covert manouvres of the man who is remembered for his infamous advice that government appointees must resort to propaganda in their communications, and for example, saying government has presented a cow even when the animal in question is a goat.
A recent engagement towards the achievement of the goal reportedly turned sour when those in favour of Baba Jamal and supporters of Nasser Toure disagreed with each other.
It is obvious that Baba Jamal seeks to win the party’s primary and thereafter exploit the electoral leverage of the NDC to return to parliament.
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the last polls made significant inroads in the constituency; and observers suggest a changing trend in the politics of the constituency.
Given the electoral strength of the incumbent MP, a source has told DAILY GUIDE that, “Currently Jamal is testing the waters; some constituency executives are also working underground to see if he has a chance of unseating the current MP, Nasser Toure, in the upcoming primary,” the source said.
Having lost to a lady he described as a mere hairdresser, Baba would be facing a daunting task winning the Akwatia seat in future electoral duels.
He polled 15,905 votes while Ama Sey, the hairdresser, garnered 21,433 of the total valid votes cast in the December 7, 2016 election.
It took Jamal over a decade before winning the Akwatia seat in 2012, having contested and lost four times in a row.
DAILY GUIDE’s attempts to speak to Baba Jamal as at press time proved futile.
BY Daniel Bampoe