Regional Chairman, Mohammed Bantima Adam SambaThe Communications Director of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Northern Region, Yussif Danjimah, has attributed the party’s poor performance in the 2024 parliamentary elections in the region to its failure to heed advice from its Regional Chairman, Mohammed Bantima Adam Samba, during the party’s primaries.
Speaking in an exclusive interview on Radio Tamale’s drive-time show Bugum Beni on Wednesday, July 23, Danjimah said the NPP lost several winnable seats because internal guidance was ignored.
“All the seats Chairman Samba told us not to hold parliamentary primaries and we refused, have gone to the NDC. You remember when the regional Chairman advised us against such contest?” he told the host.
He specifically pointed to Zabzugu, a constituency the NPP lost by fewer than 500 votes, attributing the loss to internal divisions that emerged after the sitting MP lost the primaries.
“Look at Zabzugu. We lost it by a little margin of not up to 500 votes. You know what cost it? The contest. Why? The incumbent’s loss of the primaries resulted in ethnic issues. That greatly affected us. Now something we had, has gone. Look at Yendi. Look at Mion. Have you seen them?” he added.
Despite the setbacks, Danjimah praised the six NPP parliamentary candidates who managed to retain their seats in the region, calling them “true fighters” who overcame difficult odds given the public dissatisfaction with the government ahead of the 2024 elections.
Back in 2023, Regional Chairman Samba had suggested during an interview on Tamale-based Majority Radio that he preferred sitting MPs be allowed to run unopposed to help consolidate party unity and conserve resources.
According to him, “that could help the party save their resources and energy and give them opportunity to mend cracks, while paving the way for them to go into the elections with united front.”
His proposal, however, sparked criticism, with detractors accusing him of trying to shield weak incumbents from internal competition.
Ultimately, the NPP went into the December 2024 elections holding nine parliamentary seats in the Northern Region but emerged with only six. The National Democratic Congress (NDC) won 11 seats, with one going to an independent candidate.
