Ghana’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, Baba Jamal Mohammed Ahmed, has been recalled from his diplomatic post by President John Dramani Mahama following his victory in the National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary primary for the Ayawaso East Constituency.
The primary, held on Saturday, February 7, 2026, saw Mr. Ahmed secure 431 votes, narrowly defeating Hajia Amina Adam, the widow of the late Member of Parliament Mahama Naser Toure, who polled 399 votes. Other contestants included Mohammed Ramme with 88 votes, Dr. Yakubu Azindow with 45 votes, and Mohammed Najib with one vote.
The win positions Mr. Ahmed to lead the NDC into the upcoming by-election scheduled for March 3.
The election results defied earlier projections by Global InfoAnalytics, which had placed Hajia Amina Adam in a firm lead with 54% support while estimating Mr. Ahmed’s backing at no more than 38%.
However, the process was clouded by allegations of voter inducement. Reports surfaced during the primary that Mr. Ahmed’s campaign had distributed 32-inch television sets and food items to delegates. While Mr. Ahmed defended the gestures as “acts of goodwill,” the presidency moved swiftly to issue a recall.
A statement from presidential spokesperson Felix Kwakye Ofosu noted that President Mahama’s decision was intended to preserve the integrity of public office. The directive emphasized that although multiple candidates faced similar allegations, Mr. Ahmed was the only serving public officer among them.
The NDC has since launched an internal investigation into the reports of vote-buying to ensure the party’s standards of conduct were maintained during the contest.
Ruth Abla ADJORLOLO
