Former Member of Parliament for Akwatia in the Eastern Region, Baba Jamal Mohammed Ahmed, has shifted his constituency to Nima in the Greater Accra Region.
He has initiated moves to contest the Ayawaso East constituency National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary primary.
He is hoping to “uproot” the sitting NDC MP, Naser Toure Mahama.
Baba Jamal’s argument is that, even though he hails and had lived in Akwatia from where he was first elected as a representative to Parliament on the ticket of the NDC, he has been a resident of Nima for so many years and has his house in the neighbourhood.
Sounding ironic and deciding not to talk about the sitting MP, though he has sent out signals that in his view, Naser Toure Mahama is “unknown” by the media, not vocal in Parliament and not known by his constituents, Baba Jamal said it was his intention to fight for what is due Nima and the entire Ayawaso East constituency if given the opportunity by NDC delegates and he goes ahead to win the seat in 2024.
His plan is to root for development projects at Nima located in the heart of Accra.
”I don’t think Nima is receiving what it deserves as a constituency,” he said in a radio interview on Accra based Okay FM, monitored by Graphic Online on Friday morning (Mar 10, 2023).
Baba Jamal, who is a legal practitioner, is currently a Deputy Director in charge of Legal Affairs for the NDC.
He served as MP for Akwatia from January 2013 to Jan 2017 and also served as a deputy minister.
Baba Jamal got involved in partisan political activities during his days in the university and got fully involved right after his university education.
For a very long time since 2000, he was eyeing the Akwatia constituency seat in the Denkyembour District of the Eastern Region which had been won continuously by the New Patriotic Party in 2000, 2004 and 2008. The NDC had initially won and occupied it in 1992 and 1996.
In 2008, Baba Jamal put up a strong contest with the NPP’s candidate, the late Dr Kwaku Asare but lost it.
Dr Kwaku Asare won it after a controversy and a rerun in six polling stations on August 18, 2009.
In 2012, Baba Jamal was successful and won the seat but was defeated after one term by the NPP’s Mercy Adu Gyamfi, commonly known as Ama Sey, a hairdresser.
In deciding to take another shot at Parliament, Baba Jamal has turned away from Akwatia and now heading towards Nima in the Ayawaso East constituency of Greater Accra.