NDC’s Prof. Seidu Alidu Set to Go Unopposed in Tamale Central By-Election
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) is poised to retain the Tamale Central parliamentary seat unopposed following the withdrawal of the People’s National Convention (PNC) and the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG) from the September 30, 2025, by-election.
The decision by both parties comes after the New Patriotic Party (NPP) had earlier announced that it would not contest the poll, leaving the NDC candidate, Professor Seidu Mahama Alidu, as the sole contestant.
Prof. Alidu emerged victorious in the NDC’s primary held over the weekend, where he secured 840 out of 1,500 valid votes in a contest that featured 12 aspirants. His closest rival, Hanan Gundadow Abdul-Rahaman, a former Chief Executive of the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly, polled 536 votes. The remaining 10 aspirants managed only single or low double-digit tallies.
The Electoral Commission (EC) has confirmed that the PNC and LPG, despite completing their filing processes on September 10, officially withdrew their candidates by formally notifying the Commission through their general secretaries.
The by-election was triggered by the tragic death of the area’s MP, Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, who perished alongside seven others in the August 6 helicopter crash.
Tamale Central has long been an NDC stronghold, and with opposition parties stepping aside, Prof. Alidu’s entry into Parliament is now all but assured.
Who is Prof. Seidu Mahama Alidu?
Prof. Alidu is a respected political scientist and lecturer at the University of Ghana, where he once headed the Department of Political Science. He currently serves as the Executive Secretary of the Water Resources Commission.
He was a Donahue Institute Scholar on U.S. Political Thought at the University of Massachusetts in 2014 and has lectured at more than 12 universities across Africa, including the University of Lagos, University of Ibadan, University of Dar-es-Salaam, University of Nairobi, and the University of Botswana.
A former MIASA Fellow on Parliaments and Democracy in Africa, Prof. Alidu has consulted for organisations such as PASGR, the Centre for International Development Issues Nijmegen, IDS at the University of Sussex, the Friedrich-Ebert Stiftung, UNDP, the Varieties of Democracy Project, and the Social Science Research Council.
His scholarly work spans respected journals, including Peace Review, Criminal Justice Studies, Transitional Justice Review, Journal of African Political Economy and Development, Contemporary Journal of African Development, and Ghana Studies.
Prof. Alidu’s imminent parliamentary role is expected to blend his academic expertise with national legislative duties, potentially positioning him as an influential voice in Ghana’s policy and governance space.
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