The National Democratic Congress has retained the Ayawaso East parliamentary seat following a decisive victory by its candidate, Mohammed Baba Jamal Ahmed, in Tuesday’s by-election held on March 3, 2026.
The poll was organised to fill the vacancy left by the late Member of Parliament for the area, Mahama Naser Toure, whose passing in January triggered the constitutional requirement for a fresh vote.
At the close of polls, Baba Jamal secured a commanding 10,884 votes, comfortably defeating his closest challenger, Yusif Ali Baba of the New Patriotic Party, who obtained 4,009 votes.
Independent candidate Mohammed Umar Sanda garnered 1,885 votes, while Ibrahim Idrissu polled 43 votes, and Kanor David secured 104 votes.
Out of a total of 17,048 ballots cast, 16,928 were valid, with 120 rejected ballots, according to official figures.
Polls Mirror Pre-Election Forecasts
The outcome closely aligns with projections by research firm Global InfoAnalytics, which had predicted a strong showing for the NDC candidate.
In its survey conducted between February 28 and March 1, the firm projected that Baba Jamal would secure roughly three-quarters of the vote, placing him well ahead of the NPP’s candidate and other contenders.
Return to Parliament
The victory marks a political comeback for Baba Jamal, who previously served as Member of Parliament for Akwatia and later represented Ghana as High Commissioner to Nigeria.
His election strengthens the NDC’s grip on Ayawaso East and reinforces the party’s urban stronghold in the capital.
Low Turnout, Peaceful Process
Despite the significance of the contest, voter turnout across several polling stations was described as low. However, the process remained peaceful, with electoral officers and security personnel maintaining order throughout the exercise.
Baba Jamal is expected to be sworn in by Parliament in the coming days to officially assume his role and continue the legislative work initiated by the late Mahama Naser Toure.
For the people of Ayawaso East, the by-election signals both continuity and a renewed political chapter under their newly elected representative.
By: Christian Kpesese
