Walewale MP Lariba Abudu Exits NPP Primary Race 'In The Interest Of The Greater Good'

• Walewale Member of Parliament Lariba Zuweira Abudu has withdrawn from the contentious primary race
• Abudu said her withdrawal was done in the best interest of the party in a letter announcing her decision
• The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Walewale parliamentary primary was annulled twice after disturbances

The incumbent Walewale Member of Parliament has withdrawn from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) primary race after two polls were cancelled.

Lariba Zuweira Abudu's decision came ahead of a scheduled National Executive Committee meeting on September 11, 2024, to address the situation.

In a letter to the media, the Walewale MP explained her decision to withdraw amid turbulence concerning the NPP's 2024 primary race.

“I have decided that in the interest of the greater good of the New Patriotic Party and peace and unity in the Walewale constituency, I will no longer be a candidate for MP in the 2024 elections."

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Mohammed Aminu M. Alabira, a reporter covering Northern Ghana, told YEN.com.gh that Dr Tiah Abdul-Kabiru Mahama, Abudu's opponent, looked primed to win the polls.

"I was interviewing the constituency chairman, and supporters around him were telling him to declare Kabiru, and he said, looking at what was happening, he thinks Kabiru could have won at least 60 per cent of the votes."

A second primary in the constituency was interrupted, with the Ghana Police Service called in to help restore order.

Some people disrupted the sorting process and destroyed ballot papers. Police made one arrest after the incident.

Why was the first Walewale primary annulled?

Abudu sued over the January 27 primary, which Dr Mahama was said to have won. The vice-presidential special advisor narrowly defeated her by 345 votes to 338.

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NPP Walewale parliamentary primary annulled again after chaos erupts and ballots destroyed

Unsatisfied with the outcome, the Walewale MP claimed that irregularities and malpractice by the party, Mahama, and the Electoral Commission had occurred.

The Tamale High Court agreed that the election had irregularities, such as impersonation and over-voting, leading the party to schedule a second primary.

NPP suspends 2 Walewale constituency executive

YEN.com.gh also reported that two constituency executives of the NPP in Walewale have been suspended.

This came after the first Walewale NPP parliamentary primary election result was annulled by the court.

The suspended people have been instructed to hand over any party materials they have, pending a probe.

Proofread by Bruce Douglas, senior copy editor at YEN.com.gh

Source: YEN.com.gh