An unsuccessful candidate for parliament in the National Democratic Congress (NDC) primaries in the Asawase constituency has refuted claims that the party’s leadership sponsored him or her to participate in a plot to unseat the sitting Member of Parliament.
When some party supporters in the constituency called for a change, Muntaka Mubarak, the incumbent MP, and Masawudu Mubarick, who received 734 votes during the primaries, were both running for the position.
The incumbent Asawase MP, however, claimed that a large-scale plot by some party heavyweights to unseat him after he lost his position as the Minority Chief Whip, which helped him win with 1,063 votes.
However, Masawudu Mubarick refuted accusations that he was employed for the purpose and urged his followers to support the sitting MP in order to help the NDC keep Asawase in its possession for the 2024 general election.
In his response, he said: “The issue about me being a favourite candidate, wow how lucky I am? I remember last year this same establishment barred me from contesting. So I don’t think there’s any iota of truth in these allegations. I wasn’t in any way sponsored: 70 percent of the money I have spent came from my personal coffers, and 30 percent came from people I have empowered in one way or the other. I never had any contribution from any business or party person, I can say that with authority.”
He further added: “Let me once again congratulate my brother Muntaka Mubarak for his success in the just-ended parliamentary candidate elections. I have already communicated and congratulated him. There’s a need for my supporters to stay calm and let cool heads prevail. Let’s all unite and rally around our re-elected parliamentary candidate so that, come 2025, Muntaka Mubarak will return to Parliament. He has all my support, and I’m encouraging my supporters to also support him so that at the end of the day, NDC will come out victorious in the upcoming elections.”
