Fourteen (14) aspirants on Friday, August 22, 2025, picked nomination forms to contest the upcoming parliamentary primaries of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Tamale Central constituency in the Northern Region.
The party announced earlier that nomination will be formally opened on Friday, August 22 and close on Sunday August 24, 2025.
Consequently, some prospective candidates visited the party’s Northern Regional Secretariat to pick the forms and others also had their supporters picking the forms on their behalf.
The NDC Regional Director of Elections and IT, Dr Arnold Mashud confirmed to this portal that 14 individuals consisting of three female aspirants and 11 of their male counterparts had picked up the forms.
The most notable personalities among the aspirants include, Prof. Alidu Seidu, Executive Secretary of Water Resources Commission and Head of the Political Science Department at the University of Ghana, Dr. Seidu Mohammed also known as Seidu Fitter, a lecturer at the University for Development Studies, Mariama Naama Salifu, an Assistant Consulate in Ghana’s Mission in Niamey, Niger, former Mayor of Tamale, Abdul Rahaman Hanan Gundadoo and the NDC Northern Regional Treasurer, Hajia Shamima Yakubu.
The Regional Elections and IT Director in an exclusive interview said the party did not anticipate the massive numbers, stating, “the fact is that we were not anticipating such a huge number because even the number of forms that were sent from national fell short of the number that turnout – eventually we had call for them to resend another set of forms, so that simply tells us that we were expecting that number”.
Dr Mashud noted the high turnout could have its own positive and negative implications for the party, asserting the positive could be that the usual tensions and attacks that characterize internal party elections may not be witnessed unlike if the candidates were just one or two.
He added this may also undermine the ability of the NDC to elect a parliamentary candidate who will be a true reflection of the people giving that the candidate with a simple majority will become the winner.
However, Arnold Mashud was also impressed with the quality of individuals who have declared their intensions to represent the people and contribute their quota to national development.
“For us, it is a good sign. It means we have individuals who can step in at any point in time to ensure that the party machinery work, the party fortunes are always consolidated” he stated.
