Abu Ahmed Musa temporarily assumed the mayor’s duties in Hamtramck, Michigan, more than a year after surveillance footage raised questions about his apparent involvement in depositing bundles of absentee ballots. The councilman, already serving as mayor pro tem, stepped into the role during another disputed transfer of power. The footage had previously drawn the attention of Michigan State Police.
The temporary succession came as Hamtramck prepared to install Muhith Mahmood following a prolonged legal battle over the November 2025 mayoral election. Adam Alharbi had taken office after initially being declared the winner. However, a court-ordered count of 37 previously excluded absentee ballots changed the outcome, giving Mahmood 2,089 votes to Alharbi’s 2,077. Mahmood’s swearing-in was scheduled for November 8th, 2026.
The controversy involving Musa concerned footage recorded before the city’s August 5th, 2025, primary election. Surveillance cameras captured two separate visits to the ballot drop box outside City Hall. In each instance, a man who appeared to be Musa was inside a vehicle while another man deposited stacks of apparent absentee ballots. The recordings subsequently became public through requests for city surveillance footage.
Journalist Christina Aguayo highlighted Musa’s temporary elevation in an X post, reporting that no charges had yet been filed against him. Local 4 had previously reported obtaining more than 800 hours of surveillance recordings through a Freedom of Information request. Michigan State Police confirmed to the station that the videos were part of an investigation. One recording showed three men arriving in a black pickup truck during the night.
In that recording, the person who appeared to be Musa occupied the back seat while the driver pushed multiple stacks into the drop box. Local 4 described the driver struggling to fit the papers inside and repeatedly looking around. Four days later, another vehicle arrived. This time, the person appearing to be Musa sat in the passenger seat and handed three large stacks to the driver for deposit.
Musa finished first among council candidates in that primary, receiving 1,129 votes, according to the city’s published unofficial results. His total included 843 absentee votes and 286 Election Day votes. He also faced allegations that he lived outside Hamtramck. Local 4’s earlier reporting said Musa denied those residency allegations and had not been charged in a separate investigation involving the 2023 election.
Musa has used awkward phrasing and grammatical errors while speaking publicly in his official capacity. Reporting on the June 23rd, 2026, council meeting, The Hamtramck Review quoted him saying President Trump would “bring the whole world in the peace, especially Palestine, Iran, Gaza and all other places.” At the January 6th organizational meeting, the newspaper reported that Musa described himself as “really humble and honored to work with the man of the community.”
"*" indicates required fields
See CBS Detroit’s coverage here:
The Arab American News reported that Musa assumed the mayor’s duties under Hamtramck’s charter while Mahmood prepared to take office. Mahmood had faced his own residency challenge, which Wayne County Circuit Judge Kathleen McCarthy rejected. The court found that he met the requirements to serve despite owning other residences and having family primarily living in Troy. The Wayne County Board of Canvassers certified the revised election results November 4th.
Election concerns remained before the county board during certification. Local 4 reported that board members had observed ballots with names apparently erased and rewritten and had requested a broader investigation. Alharbi’s attorney, Nabih Ayad, sought a recount, but the board denied that request. The board’s vice chairwoman also said letters seeking investigative attention had drawn little response, while the questioned ballots remained with the Wayne County Clerk.
Featured image credit: screenshot from the embedded video.