Lariba Abudu pulls out of Walewale NPP race
The incumbent Member of Parliament (MP) for Walewale, Hajia Lariba Zuweira Abudu, has withdrawn from the Walewale New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary primary re-run.
She announced the decision to step down a day after a re-run of the polls was marred by chaos and violence, leading to the arrest of one suspect and the inability of the Electoral Commission (EC) to announce a winner.
The National Executive Committee of the NPP was expected to meet on Wednesday, September 11, 2024, to address the situation, but the MP has informed the party that she is no longer interested in contesting.
In a letter dated September 10, 2024, and addressed to the General Secretary of the NPP, Lariba Abudu stated:
“Following the inconclusive re-run of the parliamentary primary in the Walewale constituency yesterday (with the Electoral Commission unable to declare a result as a result of an unfortunate incident), I have decided that in the interest of the greater good of the New Patriotic Party and peace and unity in the Walewale constituency, I will no longer be a candidate for MP in the 2024 elections. I am therefore formally withdrawing from the contest”.
“I would like to thank the party for the honour done me in representing my constituency over the last four years and can assure the party of my continued support in the 2024 election campaign,” she added.
The Tamale High Court nullified the earlier election held on January 27, 2024, after Lariba Zuweira raised concerns after losing and sought legal redress.
In the earlier primaries, Dr. Tiah Abdul-Kabiru, a 35-year-old special advisor to the Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, fiercely contested the incumbent MP, Hajia Lariba, and others.
The election, held under stringent security measures resulted in a victory for Dr. Kabiru with 345 votes, compared to the sitting MP’s 338 votes.
Two other candidates, Tahiru Sham-Una and Jangdoo Mahama, received 145 and 1 vote, respectively.
However, Hajia Lariba challenged the election results and lodged an ex parte motion at the Tamale High Court, accusing the party, Dr Kabiru, and the Electoral Commission (EC) of irregularities and misconduct.
Initially, the NPP, as a third defendant, sought to have the case dismissed, alleging that Hajia Lariba had breached the party’s constitution by refusing to utilise internal conflict resolution mechanisms before running to court.
Consequently, the Tamale High Court granted a plea by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to resolve the issues out of court.
The NPP noted that settling the case out of court would be the best way to sustain peace and unity in the party ahead of the 2024 general elections and pledged to return to the court for a final verdict.
However, the parties involved could not agree on an amicable solution, prompting the court to pass a verdict for fresh elections.
The Monday polls also ended abruptly after miscreants disrupted the election process.