There is confusion in the camp of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Walewale constituency in the North East region over the reaffirmation of Dr. Kabiru Tia Mahama as the party’s 2024 Parliamentary candidate by the constituency executives, patrons, council of elders and electoral area coordinators.
A statement signed by the Walewale Constituency Chairman, Mohammed Janda Muniru, indicated that after an extensive meeting with Constituency Executives, Patrons, Council of Elders and Area Coordinators, it was agreed that the entire house reaffirmed the declaration of Dr. Mahama Tiah Abdul Kabiru as the parliamentary candidate for the Walewale Constituency by the Electoral Commission on January 27, 2024.
According to the statement, the house also tasked the Patrons and Council of Elders to engage the Member of Parliament, Hajia Lariba Abudu Zuwera on meaningful discussions to prioritize the party’s interests and resolve the electoral dispute for peace, unity and harmony.
The Walewale constituency chairman called on all parties, supporters, and sympathizers to put aside their differences and work together for unity to secure victory in the upcoming December elections.
However, another statement by the constituency secretary, Wuni Yidana, urged the general public to disregard the claim that the constituency executives reaffirmed Dr. Kabiru Tia Mahama as the party’s 2024 Parliamentary candidate.
“I wish to state in no uncertain terms that no decision was ever reached at the said meeting in which the stakeholders purportedly reaffirmed the declaration of Dr. Kabiru Mahama as our Party’s Candidate of our constituency”.
He disclosed that the conduct of the constituency Chairman is contemptuous as the Constituency Parliamentary Primary is a subject matter of litigation still pending before the High Court in Tamale.
“I wish to state that the conduct of the constituency Chairman is contemptuous as our Constituency Parliamentary Primary is a subject matter of litigation still pending before the High Court Tamale and an act which will seriously militate against the amicable settlement of the matter as the Court has given our great Party up to 23 May 2024 to announce back to the Court the outcome of any amicable settlement of the matter”.
He entreated all members of NPP in the Walewale Constituency, to remain calm and treat the said publication or letter authored by the Constituency Chairman with the contempt that it deserves.
“I urge the leadership of our Party to do everything possible to take the opportunity given the party by the Court to resolve the matter seriously and enroll all the stakeholders on board in order to come out with an outcome that will resolve the lingering issue and bring all hands on board to ensuring that we win the upcoming General Elections emphatically for the Presidential Candidate and whoever that would eventually be declared as our Parliamentary Candidate”.
The incumbent Member of Parliament for the Walewale constituency and former Minister for Gender, Children, and Social Protection, Lariba Zuweira Abudu, proceeded to the Tamale High court to contest the results declared at the NPP parliamentary primary in the Walewale constituency.
Subsequently, Justice Richard Kogyapwah of the Tamale High Court granted a plea by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to resolve the issues related to the Walewale constituency parliamentary primary out of court.
The NPP noted that settling the case out of court will be best way to sustain peace and unity in the party ahead of the 2024 general elections and the court gave up to this month to come back.
BY Eric Kombat, Walewale