NPP Primaries: Tension Brews In Akyem Oda As Vetting Of Sole Contender On Hold

As of the close of nominations on December 25, 2023, a total of 92 aspiring candidates had expressed their intention to compete for parliamentary seats in the Eastern Region.

Out of 92, 85 candidates officially filed their nominations, poised to challenge incumbents in 22 constituencies.

The New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Eastern Regional Vetting Committee began vetting parliamentary candidates in constituencies with sitting Members of Parliament (MPs) on Wednesday, January 3, 2024, and it will conclude today, Friday, January 5, 2024.

After the second day of the vetting, Hon. Jeff Konadu Addo, the Eastern Regional Chairman, announced that the Committee had been able to vet candidates from 21 constituencies.

He went on to say that Nsawam Adoagyiri is the sole remaining constituency and that the vetting will take place today, Friday, January 5, 2024.

According to Mr. Jeff Konadu, of all the candidates who were vetted, only one was unable to proceed through the procedure due to illness.

He also mentioned that only one aspirant was completely disqualified while another was on hold.

The sole candidate in the New Juaben South, Yaa Ansa Safori, was the only one who was completely disqualified, and the sole contender in the Akyem Oda seat, Dennis Obeng Agyei, had his vetting put on hold.

 

Listen to Jeff’s interview with the media below.

 

 

Matter of the Akyem Oda Constituency Primaries

In the Akyem Oda constituency of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), political tensions are on the rise as Dennis Obeng Agyei (Densa), the sole contender for Member of Parliament Alexander Akwasi Acquah, faces possible disqualification.

The 34-year-old candidate is accused of using offensive language against the incumbent MP, despite having issued an apology in the past.

During the vetting process, a petition was submitted against Dennis Agyei, prompting the vetting committee to refer the matter to the constituency disciplinary committee.

 

 

The committee is expected to make a decision within a week, intensifying concerns among Agyei’s supporters.

In a display of frustration, supporters of Dennis Obeng Agyei staged a protest, expressing dissatisfaction with the vetting committee’s decision to consider the petition.

 

 

They issued a stern warning, asserting that any move to disqualify Agyei would have disastrous consequences for the party.

Agyei, addressing the media, reiterated his previous apology and expressed surprise at the possibility of being disqualified based on the past incident. He emphasized the yearning for change among the youth of Akyem Oda, advocating for development and transformation in the constituency.

On the other side, incumbent MP Alexander Akwasi Acquah remained focused on continuing developmental projects for the constituency.

Despite the petition against his contender, Acquah urged the disciplinary committee to let the law take its course if Agyei is found guilty.

 

Matter of the New Juaben South Constituency Primaries

In a parallel development in New Juaben South, Member of Parliament Michael Okyere Baafi is poised to contest unopposed after the disqualification of his sole contender, Yaa Ansa Safori.

The former constituency women’s organizer faced allegations of falsifying a polling station executive’s signature for endorsement, a charge she flatly denies.

Safori is likely to appeal her disqualification.

Meanwhile, in the Akuapem South constituency, MP Osei Bonsu Amoah is actively pushing for the disqualification of the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE).

OB Amoah cites party regulations that require MMDCEs interested in parliamentary contests to resign from their positions two years before the nomination period, adding another layer of political intrigue to the unfolding narrative in the region.

The Akuapem South parliamentary primaries is being contested by Kwame Ofori-Gyau, Eric Samuel Annor-Mensah, and Frank Aidoo, the Municipal Chief Executive and Eric Yeboah Apeadu, former aide and research assistant to O.B Amoah
 

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