Former President John Agyekum Kufuor’s son, Rev. Edward Agyekum Kufuor has explained that he withdrew from the Ayawaso West Wuogon parliamentary race to pave the way for late MP Emmanuel Kyeremanteng Agyarko’s widow, who is also contesting in the primary, to go for victory, since, according to him, he felt “uncomfortable” running against the widow of a man he had so much regard and respect for.
“I decided after the vetting, where I saw Madam Lydia, based on the regard I have for the late MP, felt uncomfortable contending with her. I respect the man [Emmanuel Kyeremanteng Agyarko], I appreciate what he has done, and I look up to the man. I felt I had the capacity and I still do have the capacity. I felt it would have been okay for me to stand on his shoulders to build on the good works that he had accomplished. But when I came to the realisation that she was in the race, I had a change of mind,” he explained.
Mr Kufuor’s second son, who is also an actor, said: “I wasn’t pushed out. I wasn’t prevailed upon. I dropped out [of] my own conscience”.
“The playing ground should be open. I’m supporting everyone, I’m supporting the party. What is happening now is bigger than any one person. It is about the party maintaining the seat. It’s not about one person. However, the delegates will now go forward and decide who they want. So, my support is for the party and may the best person win,” he added.
With Rev. Kufuor out of the race, it means five aspirants, who have been cleared by the party for the primary, will contest in the primary ahead of the 31 January 2019 by-election of the Constituency.
Apart from Mr Agyarko’s widow, Lydia Alhassan, the other aspirants include Victoria Esinam Ansah Offei, an Assembly Member for Legon Electoral Area; Samuel Amankwah, a former Constituency Youth Organiser; Yaa Aboagye and Ato Williams.
Mr Agyarko died on 21 November this year and will be on 26 January 2019 at his hometown Odumase-Krobo.
Whoever emerges victor among the five NPP aspirants will be facing competition from one of three aspirants of the biggest opposition party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), which has set 28 December 2018 for its primary ahead of the by-election.
The three aspirants are Mr Ekwow Acquah, Mr Delali Kwasi Brempong and Ms Donna Selassie Agbo.
Three other aspirants, Alhaji Isaah Kamara, Ms Catherine Abrokwa Mante and Kojo Twum Boafo, failed to file their nominations before the party’s deadline.
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