GHANA’s President John Mahama has recalled Ghana’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, Baba Ahmed, known as Baba Jamal, following allegations of electoral malpractice tied to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary primaries in the Ayawaso East Constituency.
In a statement released on Saturday in Accra, the Presidency said the decision was taken in line with the Government’s Code of Conduct for Political Appointees, noting that Ahmed’s continued diplomatic role had become “untenable” amid questions about his conduct.
“The President has also noted the public statement by the General Secretary of the NDC indicating that the party has commenced investigations into the allegations arising from the primaries,” the statement read.
The Presidency clarified further that the move to recall Ahmed was “without prejudice to the ongoing internal party processes,”adding that upholding the integrity of public office and maintaining public confidence in governance standards required decisive action.
“Without prejudice to the ongoing internal party processes, and strictly in view of the standards of conduct expected of public officers, the President considers it necessary to act decisively to preserve the integrity of public office,” it read.
President Mahama’s directive comes against the backdrop of an announcement by the NDC’s General Secretary that the party has launched investigations into the alleged malpractice during the party’s primary election held on 7 February to select the NDC’s candidate for a by-election in Ayawaso East, triggered by the death of the sitting MP.
Recall widespread reports of vote inducement and alleged vote-buying during the party’s primary,and Ahmed, who is also reported to have contested, was accused of involvement in alleged voter inducement, accusations that have dogged several aspirants in the contest.
Multiple aspirants in the primary were accused of offering gifts to delegates, but particular attention focused on Ahmend’s campaign, which reportedly distributed 32-inch television sets and boiled eggs to delegates during the voting process, actions that local party officials and media described as potential inducements.
While Ahmed defended the distributions as gifts rather than coercive inducements, the NDC’s General Secretary, Fiifi Fiavi Kwetey, publicly condemned such behaviour as a breach of party values and announced that the party had launched internal investigations into the matter.
President Mahama’s directive did not wait for the outcome of the party’s internal probe, as his spokesperson said he acted to avoid any “perception of impropriety”given that Ahmed, unlike other aspirants, was a serving public officer at the time of the primaries.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has been instructed to take all administrative and diplomatic steps to formalise the recall, which takes effect immediately.
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues. She has documented sexual war crimes in armed conflict, sex for grades in Nigerian Universities, harmful traditional practices and human trafficking.