The Minister of State in charge of Tertiary Education, Professor Kwesi Yankah, has filed his nomination to contest the upcoming parliamentary primary of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Agona East Constituency in the Central Region.
The renowned educationist will face stiff competition from Prince Yaw Essah of the Ghana Tourism Authority and Dr Kennedy K. Abrokwah, an Economics Lecturer at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA).
The primary, which is slated for September 28, 2019 across the country in all orphan constituencies, is expected to be keenly contested as all the parliamentary aspirants have touched base with the grass roots and are optimistic of winning the election.
The parliamentary seat is currently occupied by Mrs Queenstar Maame Pokuah Sawyerr on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) who has occupied the seat since 2009.
Whoever would emerge winner in the NPP primary would slug it out with Mrs Sawyerr who is going unopposed in the NDC primary.
Last election
In the 2016 elections, Mrs Sawyerr polled 19,789 representing 51.25 per cent to beat his closest contender, James Owusu Barnes, who had 18,513 votes who stood on the ticket of the NPP. Appiah Kubi Sharfiu of the Convention Peoples Party (CPP) managed only 310 votes representing 0.80 per cent of the total valid votes cast.
The constituency has become a stronghold of the opposition NDC since the NPP has only occupied the seat for eight years while the NDC has occupied it for almost 20 years since the commencement of the Fourth Republican Constitution in 1992.
Prof Yankah’s entry
Flanked by a massive crowd of party faithful, Prof. Yankah and his supporters amid dancing and brass band music, processed through some principal streets of Agona Duakwa, before submitting his form around 2:30 p.m at the party office last Friday.
Addressing charged party supporters after filing his nomination, Prof. Yankah said winning the parliamentary seat in Agona East had become one of the difficult hurdles of the NPP as a result of the dominance of the NDC in the area.
Priority
He noted that his topmost priority for entering the race was to effectively and efficiently mobilise the teeming party members to recapture the seat for the NPP so as to address the high level of deprivation in the area.
He stated that he would unite the rank and file of the party before, during and after the primary to enhance the fortunes of the party, stressing that “we can wrest the parliamentary seat from the NDC if we remain united”.
“We have to put the election behind us and come together to support the winner to prosecute an efficient campaign to brighten the party’s chances,” he indicated.
He said “the NPP at this crucial moment needs a candidate like me who can appeal to all divide within the party in the constituency.”
He admonished the party supporters to vote massively for him, since he was the most preferred and experienced candidate among the aspirants who could win the seat for the NPP to end the dominance of the NDC in the constituency.
Source: Graphic.com.gh
