The race to succeed the late Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed as Member of Parliament for Tamale Central has further narrowed, with a second aspirant stepping aside.
Alhaji Ibrahim Seidu, a professional engineer, has officially withdrawn from the contest, joining Halid Abdul Rauf, a lawyer and National Vice Chairman of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), who earlier pulled out.
Sources close to Alhaji Seidu suggest that his decision was influenced by the unprecedented number of contenders who picked nomination forms on the very first day, signalling a highly competitive internal race. His exit reduces the number of confirmed aspirants to 12, down from the initial 14.
Per the Electoral Commission’s timetable, nominations for the by-election close today, Sunday, August 24, 2025, while filing of papers is scheduled for Thursday, August 28, 2025, between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
The upcoming by-election was necessitated by the tragic passing of Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, who until his death in a helicopter crash on August 6, served both as MP for Tamale Central and Minister for Environment.
In a gesture of respect, the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) has announced it will not present a candidate, leaving the NDC’s internal contest as the main decider of who represents the constituency in Parliament.
