Ethnic Politics Holds Sway in Bimbilla Race -Chronicle

With less than 26 hours to go for the Bimbilla constituency bye-election, campaign teams of the two major political parties - the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and National Democratic Congress (NDC) - are gambling on the ethnic factor to capture the vacant seat in this constituency which came out of a bloody ethnic conflict in 1994.

Whereas the NPP fielded a Konkomba, Mr. Nitiwul Bingab Aduna Dominic, as its candidate, the NDC is presenting a Nanumba, Mr. Mohammed Ibn Abass.

Majority of Nanumbas complain that the ruling NPP has imposed a Konkomba candidate on them, while the present Member of Parliament (MP) for the Wulensi constituency is also a Konkomba.

The Nanumbas fear that should the NPP candidate emerge the winner at the bye-election, it would mean that all the MPs from the two constituencies in the Nanumba district would be Konkombas, a situation which they consider unacceptable.

According to some opinion leaders who do not want to be identified, there is a tacit agreement amongst the people that the Bimbilla constituency should always go to a Nanumba, while the Wulensi constituency is reserved for a Konkomba.

This had so far been the case with the Nanumbas and Konkombas living peacefully together until the resignation of the former MP for Bimbilla, Dr. Mohammed Ibn Chambas, now the Executive Secretary of ECOWAS.

The Nanumbas say the fielding of a Konkomba candidate by the NPP for the Bimbilla constituency seems to suggest that the ruling party is counting on the numerical strength of the Konkombas to win the vacant seat.

"By insisting on a Konkomba candidate for the Bimbilla constituency, the NPP is telling the Nanumbas that they are insignificant as far as numbers are concerned, but we are waiting to see," declared a prominent citizen.

It is also believed that some powerful people are behind the independent candidate, Mr. Iddi Azis Iddisah, who has been planted to divide the ranks of Nanumbas and split their votes.

Meanwhile, all the five contesting political parties and independent candidate are making last minute shuttles to the densely populated Konkomba settlements along the Bimbilla-Salaga road to campaign for vital votes.

The candidates in the race include Mr. Ibn Aziz Abass for the Democratic People's Party (DPP), Mr. Andrew Nogma for the People's National Convention (PNC), and Mr. Abdullai Yussif for the Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP).

The rest are Nitiwul Dominic for the NPP, Ibn Abass for NDC and Iddi Aziz Issah, an independent candidate.

Meanwhile, the People's National Convention (PNC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) are set to engage the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in a political battle as they aim to wrest the Bimbilla Parliamentary seat from the NDC, reports Isaac Homeku from Bimbilla.

Events monitored by the Chronicle indicate a tough power struggle is certain for tomorrow.

The NPP and the PNC, this reporter can confirm, have large followers in the villages, while the NDC has the district capital of Nanumba as its stronghold.

The Vice-President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, is currently leading a group of government officials and leading members of the NPP in a house-to-house campaign in the villages of the Bimbilla constituency.

Alhaji Mahama arrived in Tamale on Monday evening and left for Bimbilla early yesterday morning where he interacted with the village folk in their hamlets.

One hardly sees signs of the NDC in the villages - no posters, no party flags.

The remote villages are dominated by the PNC and the NPP and events point to the fact that the PNC has more advantage in the villages.

In fact, the PNC is likely to win more votes in the remote places and could still upset the other parties in the district capital.

The NPP cannot match the popularity of the NDC and PNC in the district capital, even though they could spring a surprise as the Vice-President and his entourage storm the main town from today

An NPP rally scheduled for yesterday at the district capital was re-scheduled to the residence of the District Chief Executive (DCE) because the NDC also scheduled a rally at the same venue and in order to avoid a bloody clash, the NPP decided to move theirs to the residence of the DCE, which is some distance away from town.

Meanwhile, the General Secretary of the Great Consolidated People's Party (GCPP), Mr. Amekah, has warned they should not be ruled out.

He told this reporter that he and his boss, Mr. Dan Lartey, were campaigning vigorously to win the Bimbilla seat.