Disqualified NPP candidate goes solo

Osei Kwame Prempeh, re-elected by NPP to stand for the Nsuta-Kwamang-Beposo Constituency seat

Mr. Kwame Asafu-Adjei, disqualified by the National Executives Committee (NEC) of the New Patriotic Party from contesting the Nsuta-Kwamang-Beposo primaries, has declared his intention to contest the seat as an independent candidate in the upcoming General Elections.

He said the way and manner the Constituency Chairman, Mr. Akwasi Owusu Koduah and some constituency executives engineered his disqualification was totally uncalled for and undemocratic.

“If the Constituency Chairman and few executives of the party for their selfish interest prevented me from contesting the primaries on the ticket of NPP that is not the end of the road. The majority of Nsuta-Kwamang-Beposo Constituency cannot be taken for granted. I am therefore declaring to contest 2008 polls as independent candidate," he announced.

Mr. Asafu-Adjei who is also Director, Youth and Agricultural programme under the Ministry of Agriculture, made these remarks when he addressed more than 3,000 people at a rally at Atonsu near Nsuta, the district capital of the newly created Sekyere Central Assembly in the Ashanti Region.

It will be recalled that Mr. Asafu-Adjei was one of the leading contenders in the run-up to the Nsuta-Kwamang-Beposo primaries, which saw the re-election of Mr. Osei Kwame Prempeh, the incumbent MP and Deputy Attorney General. He was disqualified from the race three days before the primary at Deduako. The delegates retained Mr. Osei Kwame Prempeh who polled 79 votes to defeat Mr. Kwabena Manu who had 16 votes. Another contestant, Lawyer Brefo, pulled out from the race.

The aggrieved NPP guru who expressed grave concern about the actions and inactions of the Constituency Executives as well as some National Executives leading to his disqualification asserted that he could not sit down unconcerned to be cheated.

The Daily Dispatch has gathered that due to the declaration by Mr. Asafu Adjei to go solo in the 2008 polls, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has decided not to put up a candidate but will support him to defeat the incumbent MP.

In 2004, Kwame Osei Prempeh polled 15,704; Samuel Otu (NDC) had 7,769, George Owusu Amankwah (CPP) obtained 324 whiles Mr. Adu Amankwah (Independent candidate) had 547 votes.