TAMALE, GHANA — The Electoral Commission (EC) has officially declared Professor Alidu Mahama Seidu of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) as the Member of Parliament-elect for the Tamale Central constituency. The declaration came after Prof. Seidu became the sole candidate in the by-election, which was necessitated by the death of the incumbent MP, Dr. Alhaji Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed.
According to the Returning Officer, Muniru Musah, the decision was made in accordance with Constitutional Instrument (CI) 127, which allows the EC to declare an unopposed candidate as duly elected. Prof. Seidu was initially one of three candidates who filed nominations, but the candidates from the PNC and LPG parties later withdrew from the race. The EC then reopened nominations for a 10-day period, but no new candidates came forward.
With no challengers, Prof. Seidu was declared the winner without a single vote being cast. Reacting to the news, the NDC’s Deputy Regional Secretary, Ziblim Saaka, thanked the constituents and promised that Prof. Seidu would deliver on his promises and provide inclusive, development-focused leadership. Prof. Seidu is expected to be sworn into Parliament in the coming days.
Academic and Professional Profile
Dr. Seidu Alidu is a distinguished academic with a strong background in political science. He currently serves as an Associate Professor at the Department of Political Science and a Research Fellow at the Centre for Asian Studies, both at the University of Ghana. His academic career includes a stint as a Donahue Institute Scholar on United States’ Political Thought at the University of Massachusetts in 2014.
Prof. Seidu is a visiting lecturer at twelve Master of Research and Public Policy (MRPP) Universities across Africa, including prominent institutions such as the University of Lagos, University of Ibadan, University of Dar-es-Salam, University of Nairobi, and the University of Botswana. He was also a Maria Sibylla Merian Institute for Advanced Studies in Africa (MIASA) fellow specializing in Parliaments and Democracy in Africa.
His extensive professional experience includes collaborations with numerous policy think tanks and organizations. These include the Partnership for African Social and Governance Research (PASGR) based in Nairobi, Kenya; the Centre for International Development Issues Nijmegen in the Netherlands; the Institute for Development Studies at the University of Sussex; the Institute for Democratic Governance; the Friedrich-Ebert Stiftung; the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP); the Varieties of Democracy Project at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden; the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College; the German-African Governance Partnership Organization; and the Social Science Research Council in New York.
Prof. Seidu has a prolific publication record, with his research appearing in esteemed academic journals such as Peace Review, Criminal Justice Studies, Transitional Justice Review, Journal of African Political Economy and Development, Contemporary Journal of African Development, and Ghana Studies.
Ruth Abla ADJORLOLO
