The New Patriotic Party (NPP) said Monday,August 11,it will not field a candidate in the upcoming parliamentary by-election in Tamale Central, a seat left vacant by the death of Member of Parliament Alhaji Hon. Dr. Murtala Mohammed in a helicopter crash earlier this month.
Dr. Mohammed was among eight people killed on August 6 when a military helicopter went down in Adansi Akrofoum, located in the Ashanti Region. The crash has prompted a by-election in accordance with Article 112(5) of Ghana’s Constitution, which mandates a vote to fill vacant parliamentary seats.
In a statement released after a National Steering Committee meeting held August 11, NPP General Secretary Justin Kodua Frimpong said the party would not participate in the race, citing the tragic nature of the vacancy and a desire to avoid inflaming partisan tensions.
“The NPP believes it would be inhumane and unconscionable to subject the nation to a competitive process in search of a replacement for the departed MP,” the statement read. “The tension and acrimony often associated with the conduct of by-elections in the country should be avoided.”
The party said its decision was guided by Article 10(10)(1) of the NPP Constitution, and framed the move as both a mark of respect for the late MP and a gesture toward national unity during a time of mourning.
Political analysts say the decision, while unusual in Ghana’s combative electoral landscape, could ease the path toward a consensus candidate or potentially an uncontested race in the opposition-leaning constituency.
Dr. Mohammed, a vocal opponent of illegal mining—known locally as galamsey—was widely regarded for his advocacy on environmental and governance issues. The NPP, in its statement, called for a renewed national focus on combating galamsey as a tribute to the late lawmaker and other victims of the crash.
The Electoral Commission of Ghana has not yet announced a date for the by-election. The ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), of which Dr. Mohammed was a prominent member, is expected to retain the seat.
