Mayor Picks Nomination Forms

The Mayor receiving his nomination forms from the Constituency Secretary

The Metropolitan Chief Executive of Accra, Dr. Alfred Okoe Vanderpuije has picked nomination forms to contest the National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary primaries within the Ablekuma South Constituency of the Greater Accra Region come November 7, 2015.

Dr. Okoe Vanderpuije visited the NDC's Ablekuma South Constituency office on Wednesday in an extravagant style in the company of his family, supporters, officials of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) and Zoomlion Ghana Limited to pick his forms.

He was met by the party's Ablekuma South Constituency Chairman, Dr. Philip Lamptey, the constituency Secretary and Treasurer, Ephraim Nii Tan Sackey and Joel Okoe Tetteh, respectively who briefed him (Mayor) on the procedures involved in filing and submitting the nomination forms.

The Mayor after the short briefing was asked to make a cash payment of GH¢ 1000 as part of conditions for the nomination and was told by Mr. Tan Sackey that he would be required to pay an additional GH¢ 8,000 when submitting the forms.  The Mayor agreed to the requirements amid applause and cheers from his supporters and relatives.

The Race So Far
Incumbent NDC Member of Parliament (MP) for Ablekuman South Constituency, Fritz Baffour has signaled that he is no longer interested in contesting the seat.

The Ablekuman South Constituency Treasurer told DAILY GUIDE that so far only the mayor and another aspirant, one Wisdom Nii Amu Dodvor, a businessman, have picked nomination forms to contest the elections.

Meanwhile, Dr. Okoe Vanderpuije addressing the media after picking the forms indicated that his decision to contest was informed by the incumbent's decision not to seek re-election.

According to him, 'the Incumbent MP, Honourable Fritz Baffour has decided not to contest the next election and that therefore will open up the seat on the NDC side. And for the people of Ablekuma and with my own interest, I have decided that I will contest on the NDC ticket.'

He added that 'I have decided to do this because I am from Ablekuman South, I grew up in Ablekuman South. I worked in Ablekuman South and I have the support; the people of Ablekuman South believe in me that I will be able to lead them in getting their fair share of the national cake and that I will be able to represent them very well in parliament. I think this will be a great opportunity to uplift the growth and development within Ablekuman South.'

Asked what the people of Ablekuman South should expect from him when he was given the nod during the primaries and subsequently the parliamentary elections in 2016, Dr Vanderpuije  indicated that 'The people of Ablekuman South can expect to have a great representative; somebody who will be in parliament to speak for them and on their behalf. Somebody who will mobilize NGOs, international developers, indigenous developers and form partnerships with everybody so that we can together develop Ablekuman.'

Dr. Okoe Vanderpuije's tenure of office as the mayor of Accra will expire finally in 2016 and some political observers believe his decision to contest the primaries is ostensibly to keep himself active in politics after his term in office.

BY Melvin Tarlue