By Michael Oberteye:
Victors in the nationwide November 21st parliamentary polls as well as re-elected presidential candidate of the National Demcratic Congress, President Dramani Mahama continue to revel in their respective victories. This is certainly in spite of the hectic electioneering campaign they had to endure before receiving the nod to lead their fans into the December 2016 general elections.
Here, we recap events of the primaries in five constituencies namely Yilo Krobo, Manya Krobo, Upper Manya, Asuogyaman and the Shai Osudoku constituencies, constituencies bordering each other.
In Yilo Krobo, incumbent, Lawyer Kofi Amoatey had to shed off stiff competition from sitting District Chief Executive, Andrews Soda and Michael Ologo, another party stalwart to claim victory. It was a victory that did not come on a silver platter as well depicted in the close figures from the polls where the incumbent beat his second placed Andrews Soda with more than 200 votes to claim victory.
In the Lower Manya constituency, the story was no different as it was another incumbent victory. This time, sitting Member of Parliament, honourable Okletey Terlabi crossed the finished line ahead of his three challengers in the persons of Dr. Nuetey, Mr. Narh Korli as well as his sworn foe, Joseph Agbo, former District Chief Executive for the Lower Manya Krobo district. The fact that honourble Okletey Terlabi won with just some 1000 votes was ample testimony of how close a contest it was.
In a controversial election in the Upper Manya Krobo constituency, sitting Member of Parliament, honourable Jeff Tetteh Kavienu stood tall over his main contender, Bismark Tetteh Nyarko to claim the ticket for next year’s parliamentary polls on behalf of the people of his constituency. Tensions went high following what Bismark Tetteh Nyarko and his followers claimed to be a raw deal given them during the polls.
In an interview with Mr. Nyarko, he told ritefmonline that the Member of Parliament for Upper Manya Krobo, Jeff Tetteh Kavienu who was declared the victor cannot claim to have won the elections which he (Bismark) claimed were fraudulent.
The incumbent success story played yet again, this time in the Asuogyaman constituency. Member of Parlaiment, Thomas Ampem Nyarko played off contest from Wilfrd Yevuga, Richard Norgbedzi and Asare Akoto to claim victory and lead his side against main rivals, the New Patriotic Party.
In the Shai Osudoku contest, presidential Staffer at the presidency and National Coordinator of the National Service Scheme lost in his bid to capture the seat from incumbent, David Tetteh Assumeng. Rather, it was Williams Desmond Ocloo, a renowned Chattered Accountant, who won the elections. It was a victory that did not happen on a Silver platter as he had to fight off stiff competition from three formidable corners in the persons of incumbent Member of Parliament, David Tetteh Assumeng who was chasing a fourth term, Ebenezer Adjikla, NADMO coordinator for Dodowa as well as presidential staffer, Dr. Michael Kpessah Whyte.
At the end of a stiff contest, it was ‘Willie’ as his fans affectionately called him who emerged victorious with Dr. Michael Kpessah Whyte who equally made a strong showing, coming second before incumbent David Tetteh Assumeng placing a distant third. The dark horse in the contest, Ebenezer Adjikla lived up to his tag in the fourth position
Source: ritefmonline.org
