A legal practitioner, Austin Kwabena Brako-Powers, has commended the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) for its decision to abstain from the Tamale Central by-election.
He says politics should be inspired by motive, which is sometimes guided by conscience and the mood of the people. According to him, the political environment should inform whether a political party should indulge in competitive politics at a particular time or otherwise.
Speaking on the BigIssue segment on the NewDay morning show, the lawyer noted that “it is the motive that matters, not the politics.”
“The NPP has clearly demonstrated that politics must be about conscience, so that when you look at the mood of the people, you’ll conclude that there is no need for competitive politics at this time,” he stated, adding that allowing the NDC to select a “replacement for the fallen hero” is what sits better with the mood of the masses.
His comments follow the NPP’s decision to stay out of the Tamale Central by-election following the death of their MP, Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, who was among the eight persons who died in a military helicopter crash at Adansi Akrofuom in the Ashante region.
The NPP announced on Wednesday, August 11, 2025, that it will not participate in the forthcoming Tamale Central parliamentary by-election.
In an official statement signed by the Party’s General Secretary, Justin Kodua Frimpong, following a National Steering Committee meeting at the NPP headquarters, by Article 10(10)(1) of the Party’s Constitution, it confirmed that the party would not contest the election.
According to the statement, the decision was reached after weighing “the circumstances under which the Tamale Central seat has become vacant and the possibility of a further polarisation of the country at this critical time.”
“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 said, adding that “the tension and acrimony often associated with the conduct of by-elections in the country should be avoided.”
The NPP also emphasised that the most fitting way to honour the late MP’s memory was to focus on unity and shared national goals.
“The greatest tribute that the NPP and the rest of the nation can pay in honour of the departed is not only to win the fight against galamsey but also to ensure a smooth and peaceful replacement for the good people of Tamale Central,” the statement continued.
It concluded by stating that, when the Electoral Commission of Ghana opens nominations for the by-election by Article 112(5) of the 1992 Constitution, “the Party will, by the national interest, not take part in the contest.”
Responding to the assertion that the NPP is chipping out because potential defeat is facing them, he said: “Is politics always about winning?”
“Politics is not always about winning. It’s [also] about closing the winner-loser gap. The electoral gap also motivates politics so sometimes you do the maths, you look at the constituency in place and you can conclude that with this constituency, we are clearly not going to win but we are aiming at closing the electoral gap. That is what if the NPP had decided to contest the Tamale Central seat, that would be the option because when you look at the number, clearly it was not in favour of [the NPP].”
