The Electoral Commission (EC) is set to declare Professor Alidu Seidu of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) as the new Member of Parliament (MP) for the Tamale Central constituency.
The decision comes after the extended deadline for filing nominations for the by-election passed at 5:00 PM Sunday, September 21, with no other political parties or independent candidates stepping forward to contest the seat.
The Northern Regional Director of the Electoral Commission, Lucas Yiryil, confirmed the development to 3News.com, stating that no one had picked up or filed nomination forms since the EC reopened the process for a ten-day window.
This lack of opposition leaves Professor Seidu as the sole contender, making a traditional election unnecessary.
According to Mr. Yiryil, the Commission will now issue a formal communiqué outlining the process to declare Professor Seidu as the duly elected MP for the Tamale Central constituency. He emphasized that the planned by-election will not be held, a rare occurrence in Ghana’s electoral history.
Background of the Tamale Central By-Election
The by-election was necessitated by the unfortunate passing of the incumbent MP, Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, who died on August 6, 2025. His death, along with others, led the EC to formally declare the Tamale Central parliamentary seat vacant on August 19, 2025, and set in motion the process for a by-election as mandated by the 1992 Constitution.
The initial nomination period saw three candidates put their names forward. However, two of these candidates subsequently withdrew from the race, leaving Professor Alidu Seidu as the only remaining contender.
The EC, in a bid to ensure a competitive and fair electoral process, then took the decision to reopen nominations, providing another opportunity for interested parties to contest the seat.
Source:Fiilafmonline/3News
