NPP Primaries: All Incumbent MPs Will Win In Bono Region — Patriotic Researchers Report Reveals

A research conducted in the Bono Region shows that all eleven sitting NPP MPs will be given the nod to lead the party after the party’s June 20th primaries. The research conducted by NPP pro research group, PATRIOTIC RESEARCHERS in the month of June in all eleven constituencies were the elections and endorsement will be held is confident that all eleven sitting MPs will be given the nod again to augment the efforts of H.E President Nana Addo in their respective constituencies as the party prepares for the December general elections.

In the Bono Region, 25 party stalwarts have been cleared by the party to contest in their respective constituencies in the region. Announcing the modalities for the elections, NPP general Secretary Mr John Boadu said the Dormaa Central Constituency will not be taking part in the Saturday election exercise. We believe this is because of the disturbances which went on in the constituency when the main contender of Hon Kweku Agyemang Manu in the person of Dr Yao Yeboah was disqualified by the party. PATRIOTIC RESEARCHERS has however conducted its research in the Dormaa Central to reveal to the whole world the real situation on grounds.

Minister of Employment and MP for Sunyani West Hon Ignatius Bafour Awuah, Hon Ali Maiga of

Dormaa West, Hon Agyenim Boateng of Brekum West and Hon Siaka Stephen of Jarman North are the ‘lucky ones’ who will contesting as unopposed candidates because their contenders were either disqualified or voluntarily withdrawn from the race.

Meanwhile, the Majority Chief Whip and MP for Sunyani East Hon Akwesi Ameyaw-Cheremeh, Professor George Gyan Baffour of Wenchi, Hon William Sabi of Dormaa East and first time NPP MP

of Tain, Hon Gabriel Osei will have to make it pass their contenders before they can go back to parliament. Others facing contest in their constituencies are MP for Brekum East Hon Nuamah and MP for Jarman South Hon Yaw Afful.

This independent Research conducted by PATRIOTIC RESEARCHERS looks at the strength of all aspirants contesting the primaries in the region, analyze the dynamics at play in each constituency and predict the actual winners of the contest come Saturday June 20th.

METHODOLOGY

This report is based on independent research and analysis in all constituencies. We have also taken into account the dynamics at play in each constituency and the views of political commentators and analysts in the region. The research was conducted in all eleven constituencies (excluding Banda). Phone calls were made to an average of ten delegates randomly selected in each constituency. Also, the views of key party individuals who are not delegates were sorted. Also, views of the general public who are not well known as party individuals were considered in this report. Our team of Researchers also analyzed all political developments in all constituencies and how it can influence the final outcome of primaries. We have also made predictions and projections with regards to who will be winning in each constituency.

During the research, PATRIOTIC RESEARCHERS also made a lot of observations which are not in good

taste for public consumption, for the sake of party unity and strategy, we have decided to shield these unpleasant observations from the general public. We will however make such observations available to the Regional Party leadership for planning and strategizing into December elections. Our team of Researchers also encountered the following challenges in their line of research; Considering the huge number of delegates in each constituency and the limited time we had to work on this report, we had to peck our responds to an average number of delegates in each constituency selected on a random base. Also, the unwillingness of some delegates to respond to our calls compelled us to adopt other methods of obtaining results for this research. Again, we realized that,

some of the delegates at the time of this research were either diseased or out of the country and could not be reach.

Questioners were based on three broad systemic areas, i.e., what delegates expect from their MPs, who can win the seat for the party and track records of working for the party in the constituency. Respondents were also asked to predict winners of the primaries in their constituencies and all these were considered in this report.

With a +/-3.0% margin of error, and considering the words of the former NPP General Secretary, Mr Sir John “Fear Delegates”, PATRIOTIC RESEARCHERS can confidently say that this report is the true

reflections of happenings in the Bono Region with regards to the NPP primaries.

SURVEY, OBSERVATIONS, ANALYSIS AND OUTCOME IN ALL ELEVEN CONSTITUENCIES IS AS FOLLOWS.

1. SUNYANI EAST

This constituency since the days of Hon JH Mensah of Blessed memory as the member of Parliament has been one of the strong holds of the NPP in the region. As the regional capital, Sunyani East has always attracted some the finest brains when it comes to parliamentary elections. In This year’s NPP primaries, Sunyani East Constituency has once again attracted two of the finest legal experts in the region. Hon Lawyer Akwesi Ameyaw-Cheremeh, Majority Chief Whip and leader of Ghana’s delegations to the ECOWAS Parliament who happens to be the sitting Member of Parliament of the constituency will have to battle it out with Private Legal Practitioner and President of the Brong Ahafo Bar Association, Lawyer Alfred Tuah Yeboah. Hon Ameyaw-Cheremeh who is seeking to represent the good of Sunyani East for the fourth time in parliament has proven to be a top nut to crack. The three term MP has over the last four years won hearts many of his constituents who probably did vote for him in his first term of office in 2008. Many of his admirers believe that he has done more than enough and therefore deserves another term as a member of Parliament. Political commentators in the believes in terms of development in the constituency, he has even done more than the late Joseph Henry Mensah. Our checks reveal that out of the 34 electoral areas in the constituency, Hon Akwesi Ameyaw-Cheremeh has a physical project to his credit. Interestedly, all respondents to this report in all the electoral areas could mention one or two projects initiated and completed by Hon Ameyaw-Cheremeh. Most constituents of Sunyani East who are not even delegates in the primaries could tell us how Hon Ameyaw-Cheremeh has impacted their life’s.

Couple with the forgoing and historical events in the constituency, PATRIOTIC RESEARCHERS can confidently report that Hon Akwesi Ameyaw-Cheremeh will be winning 85% of a total delegate of 859 from 34 electoral areas who will be voting on the June 20th NPP Parliamentary primaries.

Lawyer Alfred Tuah Yeboah on the other hand will attract the votes of some delegates who believe that Hon Ameyaw Cheremeh has been selective in his dealings and for that matter should

make way for some who will keep everyone together. The former Brong Ahafo NPP Deputy Regional who is love for his great understanding of the legal profession has so far proven to give Hon Ameyaw-Cheremeh a run for his money.

But we believe his efforts to unseat the sitting Member of Parliament has not been enough and for

that will not pose a threat. Interestingly, most delegates in the constituency rather reveal to us unexpected issue when they accused Lawyer Tuah of not nurturing the constituency well enough. They claimed that in 2015, he contested the primaries in the Jaman South constituency and had just transferred his votes to the Sunyani East constituency during the District Assembly level elections. But these revelations are however not injurious to the Lawyer since he was declared eligible to contest.

2. SUNYANI WEST

this is one of the constituencies in the region where real contest will not be happening as delegates from this constituency are preparing to endorse Hon Ignatius Baffour Awuah Minister of

Employment and Labour Relations for the fourth term as he prepares to represent the NPP in December elections. Sunyani West was tipped to be one of the keenly contested areas in the region but the disqualification of two aspirants especially Mr Bernard Oduro Takyi by the Regional Parliamentary Vetting Committee has taken away the shine of the much anticipated competitive parliamentary elections in the Sunyani West Constituency. PATRIOTIC RESEARCHERS however can confirm from two radio interviews that Mr Bernard Oduro Takyi is contesting the general elections as an Independent Candidate.

3. WENCHI CONSTITUENCY

PATRIOTIC RESEARCHERS believes that Wenchi is the must watch constituency in the region as four strong contenders including the only female aspirant in the region lock horns with the Minister of planning and member of the Economic Management Committee of the Nana Addo led government, Professor George Gyan Baffour. The four-time winner of the Wenchi parliamentary seat is seeking to be given the non by NPP delegates for the fifth time as he laces his boots to lead the party in Wenchi one more time. The Wenchi Constituency which prevented Professor Abrefa Busia from going to parliament has over the last decade become one of safest seat of the NPP in the region.

Supporters of Professor George Gyan Baffour in the upcoming primaries believes that he holds the

magical rod for NPP and any attempt to change him now will spell doom for the party. But his Contenders believes he is too old and stayed for long and should therefore give way for the young ones to also show what they have got.

Wenchi has seen massive infrastructural development under the leadership of Professor Gyan Baffour, from school blocks, clinics, tiled roads, water projects and human development, Wenchi can

only reward the good old prof with another term.

The second on our list of aspirants is Kojo Frempong, a Media mogul who comes in to the Wenchi parliamentary race with so much media support and good communication skills which is helping his campaign very well. Even though much has not been seen of him in Wenchi politics, the former TV3 anchor is relating very well with delegates of Wenchi and will definitely be winning some popular votes on June 20th.

The only female aspirant in the Wenchi primaries and the region at large is Professor Tina Abrefa- Gyan, though a female, she has been with the NPP party for long, having served as the party as a first vice chairman in the NPP UK chapter, Dr Tina has indeed shown that she has the party at heart. The gender card is really playing to the advantage of Dr Tina as she advance her campaign on the notion that the constituency has never seen a female MP in the constituency and if there is the need to try a female candidate, then it is Dr Tina.

The third on our list in Wenchi is Mr Yaw Opoku Atuahene, a former MD of Agricultural Development Bank is coming into the contest also as former polling station chairman with so much appeal among his colleague polling chairman, in 2017, a group of party folks organized a press conference to appeal to the President to appoint the former MD into his government. Mr Atuahene will be attracting the votes of the old delegates who has worked with him on many occasions at the polling station level.

Albert Ameyaw happens to be the youngest among the five contenders in the primaries. Nick name the ‘Messenger’ Albert has a very strong connection with Busia family. Having served as a special aid to the DVLA Boss, Mr Kwesi Agyemang Busia and Madam Ama Busia, Albert has been able to secure job opportunities for the youth of the constituency through the Busia family and this has given him dominance among the youth in Wenchi. But his critics and opponents believe that he is remotely controlled by the Busia’s which many believe is not a good mark of a Member of Parliament.

PATRIOTIC RESEARCHERS after analyzing all the candidates in the Wenchi contest, we can confidently report that Professor George Gyan Baffour will be winning not less than 70% of the votes of 590 delegates who will be voting in 29 electoral areas in Wenchi.

4. DORMAA WEST

Dormaa West Constituency has Hon Ali Maiga Halidu as its Member of Parliament. Hon Ali Maiga is seeking a second term to represent the good people of Dormaa West Constituency after beating his NDC contender Vincent Oppong in the 2016 general elections to win the seat for the NPP for first time since the constituency was created out the Dormaa Central. In the build up to this year’s NPP primaries, One Mr Ransford Amponsah picked nominations form to contest Hon Ali Maiga but he was disqualified by the Regional Parliamentary Vetting Committee after it was discovered that he had engaged in some impersonations and was carrying himself to be someone he was actually not. The Incumbent MP Hon Ali Maiga Was however declared to contest the primaries as an unopposed candidate.

PATRIOTIC RESEARCHERS can report that 250 delegates from 10 electoral areas in the constituency

are ready to endorse Hon Ali Maiga Halidu to on Saturday to represent the NPP in the general elections.

5. JAMAN SOUTH

The Jaman South is also one of the constituencies where delegates will have to decide the electoral fate of three aspiring candidates who wish to go to parliament on the Ticket of the NPP.

Hon Yaw Afful the sitting member of Parliament is facing competition from two other aspirants. Alex Kwesi Awuah and Prince Yeboah Manfo are the individuals promising to give Hon Afull a good fight come Saturday.

Alex Awuah who is the Deputy MD of ARB APEX Bank is regarded as a staunch party financier in the

constituency. In 2016, he adopted some polling stations in the constituency. He also relates very well with delegates across the constituency.

Prince Yeboah Manfo is the third aspirant who has unveil himself to be elected by delegates on Saturday. As an astute Educationist who has worked for so many years as a tutor in the Brekum College of Education, Mr Prince Marfo comes into the Jaman South contest with so much ratings from the elite delegates. Most of these delegates one way or the other feels that he has impacted so well in their lives as students and will be a fine representative in Parliament.

Jaman South is one of the consequences in the region which still lacks basic social amenities such as good road networks. It is for this reason that critics of the sitting MP believes that he has not done so much to alleviate the status of the constituency and should therefore be change.

After analyzing the forgoing, PATRIOTIC RESEARCHERS believe that Hon Yaw Afful still has what it takes to win the hearts of delegates come Saturday. A total of 667 delegates will be going to the polls in 39 electoral areas on Saturday to elect one candidate among the three aspirants and our reports shows that Hon Yaw Afful will carry the day with nominal figures of not less than 300 votes and the two contenders competing for the remaining 367 votes in a ratio of 2:4. This is one of few constituencies we noticed that financial muscles of aspirants will greatly influence the outcome of the elections.

6. BREKUM WEST

Brekum West is one of the constituencies where delegates will be endorsing the candidature of the incumbent MP Hon Agyenim Boateng. The deputy Railways Minister is seeking to represent the good people of Brekum West in Parliament for the fourth time. We at PATRIOTIC RESEARCHERS believe that Agogo as he is nicknamed will sail through the Saturday storm as delegates in his constituency will overwhelmingly endorse him.

7. TAIN CONSTITUENCY

The Tain Constituency is another must watch constituency on our list. The incumbent MP Hon Gabriel Osei is facing a stiff competition from two other contenders who believe that the first time MP has not done so well for Tain constituency to warrant a second term. The two are Mr Alex Ofori a Lecturer at Sunyani Technical University (formerly Sunyani Polytechnic) and young Businessman Alexander Ababio. Having tried the 2015 parliamentary primaries in the same constituency, Mr Alex Ofori appears to have gathered some much experience that will help him make a great impact this time round. He believes that at die embers of the game in 2015, he withdrew and allowed Hon Gabriel Osei to be voted for by delegates to represent the party but since the incumbent MP haven’t met his expectations, Mr Alex Ofori is back in the race again.

Alexander Ababio, the youngest candidate in the entire region goes into the Tain contest with huge

financial strength. Despite his age, Mr Ababio has contested two times as the party’s constituency treasurer but has lost in both elections. With the work he has done to help the people of his hometown, couple with his generous helping hand and his role as the youth Chief in his hometown, Mr Ababio is confidence of winning the Saturday 20th elections.

Hon Gabriel Osei who happens to be the incumbent MP of the area remains calm despite the stiffer challenge he is facing. Winning the 2016 general elections with just 41 votes and beating Gyan Tutu of the NDC, Hon Gabriel Osei still believe he is the best person to retain the seat for the party. NDC after voting against Gyan Tutu in their last primaries, the NDC will have to find a message to tell the people of Badu why their delegates voted against their son Mr Gyan Tutu. Badu is also the hometown of Hon Gabriel Osei, and it is clear that the folks will always vote for a son rather than a party as it has been seen in the past. As 675 delegates from 36 electoral areas in 122 polling stations across the constituency decides on three aspirants come Saturday, PATRIOTIC RESEARCHERS can report that Hon Gabriel Osei will win with not less 55% of the total votes cast in the constituency.

8. JAMAN NORTH

Deputy Bono Regional Minister, Hon Siaka Stevens will also be endorsed by 487 in 27 electoral areas come Saturday. Two contestants of the Jaman North NPP Parliamentary primaries were earlier on disqualified by the Parliamentary Vetting Committee and one voluntarily stepped down. This has help Hon Siaka Stevens to go into the contest unopposed.

The constituency has seen most of its roads been worked on over the last four years. And this will

also help the NPP government to gain the trust of the people once again.

9. DORMAA CENTRAL

Dormaa Central in the Bono Region is one of the constituencies that really goes ‘blue’ during general elections in this country meaning The New Patriotic Party has always dominated Dormaa Central during elections. As the party prepares to go into the December elections, our team of Researchers has analyzed the situation on grounds and comes through with this report.

Two aspirants express their interest to contest the primaries when the party opened nominations earlier this year. Dr Yao Yeboah the board chairman of the Ghana Health Service filed his nomination

to unseat Hon Kweku Agyemang Ghana’s Health Minister who is seeking a re-election after three terms in Parliament. After vetting, the Regional Parliamentary Vetting Committee declared all two aspirants eligible to contest the primaries but the National Vetting Committee later on came out with a contrary report and disqualified Dr Yao Yeboah, a decision which did not go down well with some of his supporters in Dormaa. Party properties were destroyed, and some arrest were also made. Because of the unpleasant development, the mother party decided to suspend any form of elections or endorsement in the constituency till further notice. PATRIOTIC RESEARCHERS can report

that a lot of works has been going on in the background to resolve all pending issues in Dormaa Central NPP. Justifying the disqualification of Dr Yao, the Bono Regional NPP chairman in a radio interview argued that the Health Minister has been busily fighting Covid19 and for that matter, will not get time enough time to campaign if the primaries was to be held. It is however fair to allow Hon Agyemang Manu to go unopposed. But sympathizers of the disqualified aspirant also argue that the Health Minister can still hold his position without been a MP. Some political commentators in the region believes that Hon Agyemang Manu will have lost the primaries if it was to be held. But our research holds a contrary view of the situation in Dormaa Central. Our Research shows that Hon Agyemang Manu still has what it to win parliamentary primaries in Dormaa Central if the elections were to be held today or Saturday as scheduled. The dynamics which determines elections in Dormaa Central might be different from other constituencies as tribal, hometown and occupation in the past does not really influence the outcome of elections here. We noticed that goodies and money will have gravely influence the elections and grapevine sources we gathered shows that the two aspirants in the Dormaa Central primaries will have greatly display their financial muscles to the admiration of delegates and if this is anything to go by, Hon Agyemang Manu will have carried the day with a little urge over Dr Yao Yeboah. But if the current decision of the party is to stand anytime the band will be lifted, then Hon Agyemang Manu will still be the sole candidate of the NPP going into the December elections.

10. BREKUM EAST

The Berekum East Constituency delegates are to elect one among the three (3) other aspiring candidates - Mr. Paul Ofori-Amanfo, Mr. Solomon Kyere-Boadu and Mr. Nelson Kyeremeh contesting with Dr. Kwabena Twum-Nuamah who has been tipped to be maintained.

Our research shows that all odds is in favour of Hon Nuamah. The chairman of parliamentary select

committee on Health has over the years attracted a lot of health developmental projects to Brekum East constituency.

Even though most delegates in Brekum East were unwilling to share their views on the upcoming primaries with our team, we could sense that delegates will not exchange Dr Nuamah for any other aspirant in the constituency.

11. DORMAA EAST

The Dormaa East constituency is another constituency where the incumbent Member of Parliament is facing stiff competition from two other candidates. It is one constituency that our team of Researchers really found it difficult in obtaining data and this was due to the adamant nature of correspondents in responding to our questioners. But our observations on grounds point to Hon Williams Kwasi Sabi as the obvious choice of delegates. We also realized that Mr Apraku Twum Barimah has mounted a very solid campaign since 2018 and could pose as a threat to the chances of the incumbent MP.

Mr Twum Barima according to our findings reveals that he has been with the delegates for long

and could make a very huge impact in the elections. The third aspirant in the race was not given much attention by our team because not much was said of him during our research. We are confident to report that Hon Williams Sabi will win the votes of majority of the delegates who will be casting their votes on 20th June 2020.

CONCLUSION

After all the observations, analysis, and projections in all constituencies in the region with the exception of Banda, PATRIOTIC RESEARCHERS make the following conclusions and recommendations.

First of all, the party leadership in the region should put up a Reconciliation Committee to help resolve all problems that may arise after the primaries and also reconciled all camps or factions that may emerge after the primaries.

Again, we also believe that a measurable approach should be adopted in dealing with the current

situation in the Dormaa Central and the development in Sunyani East should not be swept under the carpet, we believe there is still a way out if Mr Bernard Oduro is given a fair hearing and his concerns given a second thought.

Again, we believe that all Government officials and party stalwarts from the region should be infused into the Regional campaign team as the party prepares for the December Presidential and

Parliamentary general elections.

Winning the Tain seat with just 41 votes diffidence, we recommend that the party should consider the seat as special case if it wants to retain the seat.

We also recommend that all ongoing government projects in the region should be given attention by

the party. The party should either recommend to the government to speed up works on these projects or resume to site on abandoned projects.

The party in all constituencies should quickly turn its attention to the upcoming Electoral Commission compilation of a new voters register which takes effect at the end of June. We have observed that the party has turned all its attention on to the primaries and ignoring key issues leading to the build up to the December elections which include the compilation of a new voter’s register.

We also advise that aspirants in these primaries should spend less resources and rather channel it towards the general elections.

Whatever decision the party will take at the various constituencies will determine the fate of the party come Saturday. The NPP should also remember that the NDC is keenly monitory all activities and considering all available options that we may have given to them to be used against us.

Signed Abdul Hafiz

Executive Secretary, PATRIOTIC RESEARCHERS

0560103079

[email protected]

Michael Appiah Agyemang

IT and Research, PATRIOTIC RESEARCHERS

Mohammed Bawumia

Member, PATRIOTIC RESEARCHERS