Hon. Ibrahim Jajah, the incumbent Regional Vice Chairman of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) and an aspiring Greater Accra Regional Chairman, has pledged to increase the party’s parliamentary seats in the region from 29 to 33 if elected to lead the regional executive.
Jajah made the commitment after filing his nomination, citing his experience in party administration, involvement in the party’s electoral fortunes and understanding of grassroots politics as key assets for his leadership bid.
He picked number three on the ballot paper, a development he described as significant to his campaign.
He is contesting for the regional chairmanship for the first time after serving as vice chairman for two consecutive times.
Expressing confidence in his bid, Jajah said he believed his experience had prepared him to lead the region, consolidate the party’s existing parliamentary seats and secure additional constituencies.
“I am happy to pick number three. That is my third coming in the region, and there is a lot I am bringing, if Allah permits,” he said.
He explained that his decision to contest for the chairmanship is informed by the experience he has gained while serving under two regional chairpersons.
According to him, his time in office has given him a deeper understanding of the party’s organisational structure, electoral challenges and the strategies needed to strengthen its presence across the region.
Making a case for his candidature, Jajah highlighted what he described as an increase in the party’s parliamentary representation during his tenure as regional Vice Chairman.
He recalled that the party held 13 parliamentary seats in the region when he first assumed office. Through the efforts of the regional leadership and party structures, he said, the number increased to 20.
Jajah noted that the party had expected to secure more seats during that period but encountered challenges that prevented it from achieving its target.
He subsequently served another term as regional Vice Chairman, during which no candidate challenged him for the position, according to his account.
He attributed the party’s subsequent gains to the work undertaken during that period, stating that its parliamentary representation has risen to 29 seats.
The development, he said, has strengthened his resolve to seek the regional chairmanship, with a target of securing four additional parliamentary seats.
“If Allah permits and I become the chairman, I will make sure that I take another four seats and add them to what we have, so that we will have 33, insha Allah,” he stated.
His target of increasing the party’s parliamentary representation to 33 seats forms the central message of his campaign, which he has captured in the slogan “33.”
Beyond increasing parliamentary representation, Jajah identified party unity, grassroots mobilisation and logistical support for constituencies as key priorities of his proposed administration.
He said his first task, if elected, would be to unite party members at the regional and constituency levels, strengthen cooperation and address divisions that could undermine the party’s electoral performance.
According to him, retaining the party’s existing seats and winning additional constituencies would require regional leadership that works closely with constituency executives and supports their activities.
Jajah stressed that electoral victories are built from the grassroots and cannot be achieved solely through decisions taken at the regional or national levels.
“We don’t win elections from the regional or national level. We win elections from the branches,” he said, emphasising the importance of strengthening the party’s structures at the community level.
He pledged to work closely with constituency executives, provide the necessary logistical support and ensure that branch-level members receive adequate attention from the regional leadership.
He believes this approach would strengthen grassroots organisation and mobilisation, helping the party retain its existing parliamentary seats while pursuing the four additional seats outlined in his campaign.
Jajah also pointed to his political journey within the party as evidence of his familiarity with its organisational structures, particularly at the grassroots level.
He recalled serving as a branch executive in Ayawaso West Wuogon before progressing to other responsibilities within the party.
He said his involvement at the branch and constituency levels has exposed him to the practical challenges party members face in organising, mobilising supporters and campaigning during elections.
He intends to draw on this experience to ensure that constituency and branch executives remain central to decision-making and electoral planning under his proposed administration.
Jajah maintained that a regional chairman must understand the needs of party structures beyond the regional headquarters and be prepared to work directly with constituency leaders.
He pledged to prioritise collaboration with constituency executives, improve communication between the regional leadership and grassroots members, and provide the support needed for local party structures to carry out their responsibilities effectively.
He argued that improving the party’s electoral fortunes would require a coordinated effort involving regional, constituency and branch executives.
Jajah’s bid for the Greater Accra Regional Chairmanship is centred on his experience as an incumbent vice chairman, the growth in parliamentary representation he says the party has recorded during his tenure, and his commitment to strengthening grassroots structures.
He has presented his service under two regional chairpersons as an opportunity to gain practical experience and develop an understanding of the demands of the regional leadership position.
His target of increasing the party’s parliamentary seats from 29 to 33 would require the regional leadership to combine efforts to retain existing constituencies with strategies to win additional seats.
He has consequently placed unity, logistical support, constituency engagement and grassroots mobilisation at the centre of his campaign.
With number three on the ballot paper and the slogan “33,” Jajah is seeking to convince party delegates that his experience and proposed priorities position him to lead the region.
He has expressed confidence that, with Allah’s guidance, he can unite the party’s structures, consolidate its existing parliamentary representation and secure four additional seats.
His campaign message emphasises the need for a united regional leadership that works closely with constituencies and branches to strengthen the party’s grassroots structures and achieve its target of 33 parliamentary seats.
By 1960news.com
