Ayawaso Zongo Chiefs Warn of Potential Chaos If NDC Annuls Disputed Parliamentary Primary Result

The Ayawaso Council of Zongo Chiefs has issued a stark warning: annulling the results of a recently concluded and controversial National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary primary could lead to unrest. Their intervention highlights the deep tensions following a February 7, 2026, primary marred by widespread allegations of vote-buying, and underscores the high stakes for the party’s credibility ahead of a crucial March 3 by-election in the Ayawaso constituency.

Introduction: Traditional Authority Enters a Partisan Dispute

In a significant development that transcends typical party internal matters, the Ayawaso Council of Zongo Chiefs—a respected traditional leadership body representing Muslim community interests in the Greater Accra Region—has publicly cautioned the National Democratic Congress (NDC) against nullifying the outcome of its February 7, 2026, parliamentary primary. The chiefs argue that such a move, intended to address a scandal involving apparent delegate inducement, might instead trigger “conceivable chaos” and destabilize the community. This situation presents a complex intersection of Ghanaian traditional governance, modern political party discipline, and electoral integrity. The primary was held to select the NDC’s candidate for the impending March 3 by-election in the Ayawaso constituency, a seat left vacant by the passing of the incumbent MP, Naser Toure Mahama.

Key Points: Unpacking the Crisis

The core of the dispute and the chiefs’ warning can be distilled into several critical points:

• The Disputed Result: Baba Jamal, Ghana’s recalled High Commissioner to Nigeria and a former MP, narrowly defeated Hajia Amina Adam, the widow of the late MP Naser Toure Mahama, in the primary.
• The Vote-Buying Scandal: The primary was immediately engulfed in controversy after viral videos and widespread reports showed delegates receiving material inducements, including television sets and cash, in exchange for their votes. This evidence sparked national outrage and accusations of a corrupted electoral process.
• Institutional Response: President John Dramani Mahama recalled Baba Jamal from his diplomatic post in Nigeria, citing a need to “maintain integrity.” The NDC’s national leadership convened an investigative committee to probe the allegations, while its parliamentary caucus called for the primary’s cancellation and a ban on implicated candidates.
• Traditional Leaders’ Stance: The Ayawaso Council of Zongo Chiefs has sided with accepting the primary result as it stands. They contend that elections inherently have challenges and that a rerun, or the cancellation and replacement of candidates, poses a greater risk to local peace and stability than upholding the contested outcome.
• The Threat of Unrest: The chiefs’ warning of “chaos” suggests they believe the aggrieved party or its supporters may resort to disruptive or violent means if the result is overturned, framing the issue as one of communal security rather than mere political fairness.

Background: The Ayawaso By-Election and the NDC Primary

The Stakes of the Ayawaso Seat

The Ayawaso constituency, particularly its Zongo (traditionally Muslim Hausa/Islamic) communities, holds significant political and symbolic weight. The seat became vacant following the death of Naser Toure Mahama, a respected two-term MP. His widow, Hajia Amina Adam, was a favorite to succeed him, making her loss in the primary a poignant and contentious issue within the party and the community. The by-election on March 3, 2026, is thus not just a contest for a parliamentary seat but a test of the NDC’s unity and organizational strength in a key stronghold.

The NDC’s Delegate Primary System

The NDC, like many Ghanaian political parties, uses a delegate system for selecting parliamentary candidates in non-competitive (“safe”) seats. A limited number of party executives and activists from the constituency become delegates with the sole power to vote in the primary. This system is designed to ensure the candidate is chosen by committed party members but is notoriously vulnerable to manipulation through delegate inducement, as the pool of voters is small and identifiable. The February 7 primary exposed these systemic vulnerabilities in stark fashion.

Analysis: Conflicting Imperatives of Integrity and Stability

The crisis reveals a fundamental clash between two core principles in democratic politics: procedural integrity and communal stability.

The Integrity Crisis: Vote-Buying as a Systemic Threat

The visual evidence of delegate inducement is not merely a “campaign excess”; it is a direct assault on the principle of a free and fair internal election. When votes are openly commodified, the process ceases to be a merit-based selection and becomes an auction. This:

• Undermines Party Democracy: It disenfranchises honest delegates and rewards candidates with the deepest pockets or most corrupt networks, not necessarily the best ideas or leadership qualities.
• Damages Public Trust: For an electorate already cynical about political elites, such scandals confirm perceptions of politicians as self-serving and corrupt, potentially depressing voter turnout in the subsequent by-election.
• Triggers National Scrutiny: The involvement of the Presidency (in recalling an ambassador) and the national party’s investigative committee shows the scandal has risen above local politics, threatening the NDC’s national image as a party of reform and integrity.

The Stability Argument: The Chiefs’ Calculated Risk Assessment

The Ayawaso Zongo Chiefs are not making a moral argument for clean elections; they are making a pragmatic one for perceived stability. Their reasoning appears to be:

• The “Devil You Know” Principle: Baba Jamal is a known quantity—a former MP and diplomat. Overturning his victory could empower Hajia Amina Adam’s camp, which includes the legacy of the late MP and a grieving widow, potentially leading to more intense factional strife.
• Fear of a Contentious Rerun: A rerun ordered under the cloud of a scandal could see even more aggressive inducement tactics, heightened tensions, and a greater likelihood of post-result conflict. The chiefs may believe the initial, flawed result is a “settled” matter compared to the uncertainty of a new contest.
• Traditional Authority’s Political Role: In Ghana’s hybrid system, chiefs often act as moral arbiters and stabilizers. Their warning is a form of political pressure on the NDC’s national leadership, urging them to accept an outcome that local traditional structures believe will keep the peace. Their alignment with Baba Jamal suggests they have made a calculation that his candidacy, despite the scandal, is the less destabilizing option.

The NDC’s Dilemma: A Test of Party Discipline

The NDC’s National Executive Committee (NEC) or other designated body now faces an excruciating decision. Upholding the result:

• Rewards alleged malpractice and nullifies the investigative committee’s purpose.
• Alienates the powerful Mahama family faction and their supporters within the party.
• Risks being labeled as hypocritical on anti-corruption platforms.

Canceling the result and ordering a rerun or selecting a new candidate:

• Validates the integrity concerns and satisfies the party’s parliamentary caucus.
• Directly defies the Ayawaso Zongo Chiefs and likely a significant segment of the local party base.
• Might not resolve the underlying factionalism and could lead to Baba Jamal’s supporters contesting the new process.
• Plunges the party into disunity just weeks before a winnable by-election.

The chiefs’ warning has amplified the “stability” consequence of cancellation, making the integrity option politically costlier for the national leadership.

Practical Advice: Navigating Political and Electoral Crises

For political parties, traditional authorities, and observers, this episode offers critical lessons:

For Political Parties (The NDC’s Path Forward)

1. Transparent Investigation: The investigative committee must release a detailed, evidence-based report. Transparency is the only way to legitimize whatever decision follows, even if it is unpopular.
2. Apply Pre-existing Rules: The decision must be grounded in the party’s constitution and electoral guidelines, not political expediency. What are the explicit penalties for proven vote-buying? Applying them consistently is vital.
3. Engage in Intensive Mediation: The national leadership must immediately engage all factions—Baba Jamal’s camp, Hajia Amina Adam’s camp, the Mahama family, and crucially, the Council of Zongo Chiefs. A mediated settlement, possibly involving a mutually acceptable candidate or a clear path forward, is more sustainable than a top-down diktat.
4. Manage the By-Election Narrative: Whichever candidate is fielded, the party must pivot aggressively to a positive campaign on national issues (economy, jobs, education) to overshadow the primary scandal. The candidate must be shielded from constant questioning on the issue.

For Traditional Authorities

1. Clarify the Mandate: The chiefs’ role as custodians of peace is clear, but their direct intervention in a specific party primary outcome is a grey area. They should articulate whether their warning is based on specific, credible intelligence about imminent violence, or is a general political stance.
2. Advocate for Process, Not Person: A stronger, more sustainable position would be to advocate for a transparent, fair process (e.g., a monitored rerun) rather than the acceptance of a specific flawed result. This aligns their peace mandate with democratic integrity.
3. Build Bridges, Not Barriers: Their public alignment with one candidate may deepen factionalism. A more neutral posture calling for calm and adherence to party rules, regardless of the outcome, would better serve their stated goal of avoiding chaos.

For the Media and Public

1. Focus on Systemic Issues: Reporting should move beyond the personalities to examine the delegate system’s vulnerability to corruption. What reforms can prevent future scandals?
2. Verify Claims of Threats: The “chaos” warning should be scrutinized. Are there specific plans for protests or violence? Reporting should separate hyperbolic political rhetoric from credible security threats.
3. Highlight Long-Term Implications: The story is not just about one primary. It’s about the health of internal party democracy in Ghana, the influence of traditional authorities, and the public’s eroding trust in political processes.

FAQ: Common Questions About the Ayawaso Primary Crisis

Q1: What exactly did the Ayawaso Zongo Chiefs say?

The Council stated that if the NDC proceeds to annul the February 7 primary result and order a rerun or change the candidate, it could lead to “conceivable chaos” or instability in the Ayawaso area. They argued the result should be allowed to stand, noting that all elections have problems.

Q2: Who is Baba Jamal and why is he controversial?

Baba Jamal is a former Member of Parliament for Ayawaso East and was serving as Ghana’s High Commissioner to Nigeria until his recall by President Mahama following the scandal. He won the disputed primary. He is controversial because the primary he won is alleged to have been characterized by massive delegate inducement, and his recall signals presidential disapproval of the manner of his victory.

Q3: Who is Hajia Amina Adam and what is her claim?

Hajia Amina Adam is the widow of the late MP, Naser Toure Mahama. She was the front-runner in many observers’ eyes and is seen by her supporters as the rightful heir to her husband’s political legacy. Her camp claims she was cheated out of victory through vote-buying by the Baba Jamal faction and is lobbying for the primary to be canceled and rerun.

Q4: What power does the NDC have to annul a primary?

The NDC’s constitution and electoral guidelines typically grant its National Executive Committee (NEC) or a designated electoral committee the authority to nullify an election result if there is proven evidence of substantial irregularities, malpractice, or violations of party rules that affected the outcome. The ongoing investigative committee’s report will form the basis for this decision.

Q5: Is it legal or appropriate for traditional chiefs to intervene in a political party’s internal affairs?

This is a nuanced issue. Chiefs, as custodians of traditional lands and community welfare, often have influence over socio-political matters in their jurisdictions. Their intervention is generally seen as an exercise of moral suasion based on their responsibility to prevent conflict. However, explicit direction to a political party on a specific candidate crosses a line for some, who argue it undermines intra-party democracy. There is no law forbidding their comments, but their legitimacy in doing so is debated in secular political discourse.

Q6: What happens if the NDC ignores the chiefs’ warning?

If the NDC cancels the result despite the warning, it risks: 1) Factional warfare within the party in Ayawaso, potentially disrupting campaign activities. 2) The aggrieved Baba Jamal faction may contest the decision at the party’s headquarters or even support an independent candidate. 3) The warning may be a precursor to organized protests or disruptions by supporters aligned with the chiefs. The party would then bear responsibility for any ensuing instability.

Q7: Could this affect the March 3 by-election against the NPP?

Absolutely. A divided NDC, riven by this scandal and a contentious candidate selection, will struggle to mount a unified campaign against the New Patriotic Party (NPP) candidate. The scandal provides ample ammunition for the NPP to question the NDC’s integrity and fitness to govern. The by-election outcome will be heavily influenced by which candidate the NDC ultimately presents and whether the party’s base remains mobilized and united.

Conclusion: A Crossroads for Party and Community

The Ayawaso Zongo Chiefs’ warning represents more than a local political spat; it is a critical stress test for Ghana’s democratic norms. The NDC’s decision will signal whether it prioritizes the procedural purity of its internal elections or the perceived stability of a key constituency. However, sacrificing integrity for short-term stability is a dangerous bargain. A candidate who wins through proven vote-buying lacks a genuine mandate and will carry a legitimacy deficit into the by-election, potentially harming the party more than a contentious but rule-based cancellation would.

The path forward requires immense political courage and skill. The NDC must enforce its own rules transparently to uphold its values, but it must also manage the fallout with deep, inclusive dialogue involving all stakeholders—including the respected Zongo Chiefs. The goal must be to produce a candidate who can run a campaign untainted by the scandal and unite the party for the March 3 contest. Failure to achieve this balance risks not only losing a parliamentary seat but also deepening public cynicism about the entire political process and demonstrating that the threat of “chaos” can be used to shield electoral malpractices from consequence.</