E/R: Tension In NPP As Philip Addison, Four Other Aspirants Go Independent

Tension is mounting in the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) in Eastern Region as some of the party's parliamentary aspirants who lost the parliamentary primaries are lacing their boots to go independent.

The constituencies in which the NPP members are seeking to go independent are: Akwatia, Fanteakwa South, Kade, Fanteakwa North, and surprising is the Akwapim North where Philip Addison, is going to contest as an Independent candidate.

In the Akwatia Constituency, for instance, some party members and sympathizers are rooting for the incumbent Member of Parliament, Mercy Adu-Gyamfi, popularly called Ama Sey to contest the parliamentary election as an Independent candidate.

Party faithful and floating voters said the incumbent MP has not been treated fairly by the party leaders during primary.

The aggrieved supporters of the NPP drawn from Wenchi, Takrowase, Dwenase, Topremang, Appinamang, Akwatia, Boaduaas and Kusi are calling on Ama Sey, a hairdresser who floored Baba Jamal in the 2016 elections leading to Baba Jamal packing out of Akwatia.

The residents of the constituency say their support is with the incumbent MP who was allegedly rigged out of the NPP primary by party executives who have an axe to grind with her.

The floating voters including the aged and the physically challenged said they would do everything within their powers to persuade Ama Sey to contest solo in the parliamentary polls in December.

They therefore vowed and threatened to vote skirt and blouse in the December polls if the injustice was not reversed.

Ama Sey who is likely to declare her intension in the coming days, narrowly lost by four votes to Ernest Kumi in a four aspirant-race in the constituency parliamentary primary.

At Kade, a leading member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Professor Dickson Akwesi Yeboah who lost the primaries has declared his intention to contest the Kade seat as an Independent candidate to win and serve his people in parliament.

According to Prof Yeboah, who declared his intention at a press conference in Kade on Wednesday, September 9, 2020, the Chiefs and people of Kade want him to still represent them in parliament after his defeat at the NPP primary in June this year.

He said when he lost the primary, most of the people in the constituency including Chiefs, opinion leaders as well as the youth called on him to contest the December election as an independent candidate because of the achievements he chucked in his private capacity in the constituency.

At Akropong North, some party faithful have already posted the posters of Lawyer Philip Addison and one William Twumasi who were disqualified in the last parliamentary primaries vying for Independent even though the two candidates have not come out officially to declare their intension.

NPP Reactions

Meanwhile, the Eastern Regional Secretary, Jeff Konadu reacting to the issue to DGN Online revealed that the party is informed of the internal wrangling in the various constituencies after the parliamentary primaries so they are doing everything possible to resolve them before the December 7, 2020, general election.

He made mention of Fanteakwa North, Akwatia and few others with party members resigning to run as independent candidates.

Jeff Konadu alluded to the fact that the party has issues but those issues would not travel into the upcoming election, adding that Fanteakwa North has been resolved and now the embattled candidate has joined the MP, Amankwa Asiamah to campaign and canvass votes for the elephant party.

He added that the party is still in talks with the other constituencies to make sure all issues are settled.

---Daily Guide