NPP Acclaims Baba Ali Yussif As Candidate For Ayawaso East By-Election

NPP Acclaims Baba Ali Yussif As Candidate For Ayawaso East By-Election

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has officially intensified its campaign to wrestle the Ayawaso East parliamentary seat by acclaiming Baba Ali Yussif as its candidate for the upcoming by-election scheduled for March 3, 2026.

The decision, announced in a statement signed by the party’s General Secretary, Justin Kodua Frimpong, signals a strategic push by the opposition party to capitalise on the political turbulence currently surrounding the constituency.

Consensus Candidate Emerges

Baba Ali Yussif, who currently serves as the NPP Constituency Secretary in Ayawaso East, emerged through what party leaders describe as a deliberate consensus-building process aimed at presenting a united and formidable front.

According to the party, the National Executive Committee (NEC) established a high-level Candidate Search Committee chaired by former General Secretary John Boadu to identify a candidate with the strongest potential to secure victory in the traditionally NDC-leaning constituency.

The party formally endorsed Baba Ali Yussif during an expanded Constituency Executive Committee meeting and Delegates Conference held on Sunday, February 8, 2026.

Party officials say the acclamation process was intended to avoid internal contestation and instead consolidate resources and energy towards the by-election campaign.

NPP Projects Unity Amid NDC Turbulence

The NPP is projecting its swift endorsement of a candidate as a demonstration of unity and organisational discipline, contrasting it with the controversy currently confronting the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the constituency.

The Ayawaso East by-election follows the death of the sitting Member of Parliament and has since been overshadowed by internal disputes and allegations of vote-buying that emerged during the NDC’s parliamentary primaries.

Political observers note that the opposition party appears determined to frame the contest as an opportunity to reposition itself and challenge the NDC’s historical dominance in the constituency.

Rallying The Party Base

In his statement, Justin Kodua Frimpong called on party members, supporters, and sympathisers to close ranks behind the newly endorsed candidate.

He emphasised that the by-election presents a crucial opportunity for the party to offer what it describes as renewed leadership and effective parliamentary representation for residents of Ayawaso East.

The NPP leadership is also positioning the contest as a test of public confidence, particularly at a time when voter sentiment in the constituency is under intense scrutiny following recent political controversies.

A High-Stakes Electoral Battle Ahead

With the Electoral Commission preparing to conduct the by-election, attention is now shifting to the intensity of the campaign and the ability of the NPP to make electoral inroads in one of the NDC’s strongholds.

Political analysts say the outcome of the by-election could serve as an early barometer of political momentum following the 2024 general elections and may shape narratives around party strength, grassroots mobilisation, and voter trust heading into future electoral cycles.

As campaign activities gather pace, the Ayawaso East constituency is expected to become a focal point of national political attention in the weeks leading up to the March 3 polls.