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The Bawumia Win & A Moment of National Inspiration
Dr. Etse Sikanku writes
Barack Obama’s nomination as the first black nominee of a major party and subsequently, first African American president of the nation was a moment of national and historical significance.
Bawumia’s election as the standard bearer of the NPP may not have the same magnitude or racial connotations but from an ethnic or tribal and religious point of view it does hold similar sway.
From a symbolic perspective, there are many young people of northern extract; many young Muslims who will look at the image of their kinsman clinching the nomination and know that they too can dream big, aspire to the highest levels, and achieve the seemingly improbable.
Bawumia’s victory is therefore a moment of national inspiration. This is especially so for the youth, Muslims and particularly compatriots from the northern part of Ghana.
Looking at the context within which this has taken place, especially the conversations surrounding the divides and marginalization of the northern sector, we must not lose sight or underestimate this development.
What has happened may have been an NPP affair, but it is indeed a huge advertisement for democracy, identity politics, representation, seats at the table and participatory politics in Ghana and Africa at large.
There are many youth from Walewale, Bimbilla, Kumbungu, Navrongo, Gushegu, Gberi, Peteyiri, Zabzugu and many other towns and villages who will look at that image of Bawumia being coronated as leader of his party and know that they too can achieve whatever they set their minds too even at the highest levels.
The idea that in the Ghana of today, anyone irrespective of tribe, ethnicity, religion, creed or region can aspire to become presidential candidate, flagbearer, national leader or whatever they wish to be is a huge testament to how far we have come as a nation.
Certainly this will not automatically wish all the problems away but at the most basic level, stripped of all the political shenanigans, the optics have enormous implications for emboldening a culture of aspiration, inspiration, and grandiloquent dreams. Many young people across the nation—especially of northern extraction—will look at this and believe that their dreams too are valid.
Beyond that, as a nation, it also signifies huge strides in our democratic journey as we seek to entrench the enduring virtues of diversity, tolerance, and merit. And our republic will be all the better for it.
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Focus on more pressing issues like Galamsey, not hate speech – Ellen Ama Daaku to Mahama
An aide to former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia,Ellen Ama Daaku has advised President John Dramani Mahama to shift his attention from social media hate speech to more urgent national issues such as illegal mining.
Speaking in an interview, she noted that the President’s recent comments about tracking the IP addresses of people who spread hate speech were unnecessary.
According to her, President Mahama must first define what he considers to be hate speech before seeking to punish people for it.
Ms. Daaku argued that the President himself had benefitted from hate speech and social media attacks in the past when he was in opposition.
She said even during his time in government, he described his opponents and their tribesmen in unpalatable terms, which later drew complaints from former President Nana Akufo-Addo to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference.
She stressed that harsh criticism of leaders on social media should not automatically be considered hate speech, adding that former leaders, including former President Nana Akufo-Addo had all been subjected to it.
“He is only feeling what Nana Akufo-Addo went through for eight years,” she remarked.
While acknowledging the need to regulate misconduct online, Ms. Daaku insisted that going after social media activists should not be a priority.
She noted that many political activists, including herself, had been insulted and attacked online but never called for arrests.
She concluded that President Mahama should focus his energy on solving pressing problems such as galamsey and the economy instead of concentrating on critics on social media.
By: Jacob Aggrey
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Prof Alidu Seidu files nomination for Tamale Central seat
The newly elected parliamentary candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for Tamale Central, Prof Alidu Seidu, has submitted his nomination forms to the Electoral Commission.
As of 10:00 a.m. today, he was the only person who had filed to contest the seat.
Nomination of candidates will close at the end of the day.
Associate Professor and Head of the Political Science Department at the University of Ghana Legon, Prof. Alidu Seidu won the National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary primaries in the Tamale Central constituency with a landslide victory.
The elections, supervised by the party’s Elections and IT Directorate in the Northern Region, saw Prof. Seidu poll 840 votes out of the total valid ballots cast.
His closest contender, Lawyer Hanan Gundadow Abdul-Rahaman, secured 536 votes.
The other aspirants could not make significant gains, with Dr. Seidu Fiter obtaining 44 votes, Aliu Abdul-Hamid 23 votes, and the rest recording fewer than 10 votes each.
In all, 1,500 ballots were cast, with 6 ballots rejected and 7 spoilt ballots recorded.
The results were signed and declared by Dr. Arnold Mashud Abukari, NDC Northern Regional Director of Elections and IT.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) held parliamentary primaries in Tamale Central to choose a candidate for the upcoming by-election following the death of the sitting Member of Parliament, Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed. Dr. Mohammed, who also served as Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, tragically died in a military helicopter crash in the Adansi Akrofuom District on August 6, 2025, alongside seven others.
His passing left the Tamale Central seat vacant, as required by Ghana’s 1992 Constitution.
The Electoral Commission has scheduled the by-election for September 30, 2025. While the NDC moved quickly to open nominations and vet aspirants, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) announced it would not contest the seat, citing the need to respect the somber circumstances and promote national unity.
By: Jacob Aggrey
