Former Ghanaian legislator and diplomat Mohammed Baba Jamal Ahmed has announced his bid to return to frontline politics by contesting the upcoming Ayawaso East parliamentary by-election, seeking to succeed the late MP Naser Toure Mahama.
The seat became vacant after Mahama, who represented Ayawaso East for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), died in January 2026 following a brief illness. Baba Jamal, previously a Member of Parliament for Akwatia and Ghana’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, has framed his candidacy as both a return to service and a chance to serve his home community.
In recent weeks, the political landscape in Ayawaso East has seen heightened activity. A court in Accra dismissed a lawsuit that sought to disqualify Baba Jamal from contesting the NDC primary over alleged vote-buying, clearing the final legal hurdle ahead of the by-election scheduled for March 3, 2026.
Opinion polls indicate Baba Jamal may enjoy strong support from voters in the constituency. A recent survey by Global InfoAnalytics projected that he could secure about 75 percent of the vote, giving him a significant lead over his main rival from the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Baba Ali, who was projected at around 21 percent. Independent candidate Umaru Sanda Muhammed was forecast to receive roughly 3 percent.
Ahead of election day, the NDC has intensified its campaign, holding rallies and urging supporters to turn out at the polls to convert favourable projections into actual votes. Party officials have emphasised the importance of participation to maintain the constituency’s long history of support for the NDC.
Baba Jamal’s attempt to win the Ayawaso East seat marks a notable effort at a political comeback after years away from Ghana’s parliamentary scene.
