From the Abanga Twins to Jinapor's Brothers: Siblings 'divided' by NPP and NDC

In Ghana, the political landscape has become deeply intertwined with everyday life, with party affiliations often extending beyond elections into families, workplaces and communities. In most cases, families support the same political parties. Yet, the country’s political landscape has produced a number of families in which siblings have found themselves on opposite sides of the country’s two major political parties, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC). These political families offer striking examples of how shared family ties can coexist with different political loyalties, with siblings sometimes pursuing their careers and public activities under rival party banners. Here are some notable siblings who are members of the NDC and the NPP: Jinapor brothers: Perhaps the most popular siblings who belong to the two leading political parties are the Jinapor brothers, who made history in Ghana's 8th Parliament as the first biological brothers to serve in the House at the same time, representing different political parties. John Jinapor, the MP for Yapei-Kusawgu, was elected on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), while Samuel Abu Jinapor, who represents Damongo, was elected on the ticket of the New Patriotic Party (NPP). John Jinapor, who is currently Ghana’s Minister of Energy and Green Transition, has held several key positions in NDC campaign teams and government. His brother, Samuel, was a former Deputy Chief of Staff to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. He also served in various positions in NPP governments, including being a Minister of Lands and Natural Resources. Abanga twins: Another set of siblings rising in the NDC and NPP are the Abanga twins - Fuseini Yakubu Abanga and Alhassan Yakubu Abanga. Fuseini, who contested for the Aowin parliamentary seat on the ticket of the NPP, has now been elected as the National Youth Organiser of the party. His brother, Alhassan, a key member of the ruling National Democratic Congress, is the National Vice Chairman of the party. He was elected Third National Vice Chairman of the NDC on December 17, 2022. Naabu brothers: The Naabu brothers - Daniel Bugri Naabu and Joseph Bipoba Naabu - are another set of brothers divided along the lines of the NDC and NPP. Daniel Bugri Naabu, the elder of the two brothers, is a prominent member of the NPP. He served as the Northern Regional Chairman of the NPP, winning the position in 2014 after defeating the incumbent, Haruna Tia Sulemana. His younger brother, Joseph Bipoba Naabu, was an NDC Member of Parliament for Yunyoo, serving two terms from 2012 before losing the seat in 2020. The Ramadan brother and sister: There is also the Ramadan brother and sister - Mohammed Ramadan and his sister, Samira Bawumia. Mohammed Ramadan is a two-term NDC Member of Parliament for the Adentan constituency, while his sister, Samira Bawumia, is a prominent NPP figure as the wife of former NPP flagbearer Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, a former Vice President of Ghana. Ramadan campaigned heavily against his sister's husband, Dr Bawumia, in the 2024 election, denying his sister the opportunity to become the First Lady of Ghana. BAI Inside Ghana’s Abandoned Engineering Powerhouse: What Went Wrong? Source: www.ghanaweb.com
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