Misfortune For Some NPP MPs, Ministers

SOME New Patriotic Party MPs and ministers who are seeking the mandate to represent the party again in this year’s general election, have lost their bid; some shockingly so.

Many incumbent MPs and ministers of state have lost out in their bid to contest on the party’s ticket.

However, others were lucky to be given another chance by the party’s delegates at various primaries.

In the Greater Accra Region, Victor Okuley Nortey, incumbent MP for Ablekuma Central lost to Peter Sabbah while Samuel Nii Attoh, former Ga West District Chief Executive and MP for Trobu Amasaman was also defeated by a 42-year-old businessman, Moses Anim, at the party’s primary at the weekend.

However, Professor Mike Oquaye, a former Minister beat Adwoa Safo, a 26-year-old lawyer to retain the Dome Kwabenya seat.

Sheikh Isaac Cudjoe Quaye, the Greater Accra Regional Minister, obtained 65 votes to beat his only challenger, Archibald Kobina, an assemblyman, who could manage nine votes at Ayawaso Central.

The Eastern Region has so far recorded the highest number of incumbent MPs who have lost their bids in primaries.

Former Regional Minister and current Minister of State at the Presidency, Yaw Barimah was beaten by Beatrice Boateng at New Juaben South in the Koforidua Municipality.

Mr Barimah obtained 47 votes as against 54 polled by Ms Boateng popularly known as B.B.

James Appeatu-Ankrah incumbment MP for Lower West Akim could manage only 23 votes as against 63 polled by Ms Gifty Klenan while J.B. Danquah Adu lost the Abuakwa North primary to Professor S.K. Amoako.

However, Messrs Kofi Osei Ameyaw, Asuogyaman and Ofosu Asamoah, Kade, have all been re-elected to contest for the NPP.

New faces such as Kojo Smith (Ablekumah South), Kwasi Ankamah, Special Assistant to the Chief of Staff (Atiwa) Yaw Aphul Mahama who defeated Mrs Anna Nyamekye, Deputy Minister for Food and Agriculture at Jaman South, Mr Isaac Osei, (Subin) Cocobod Chief Executive and former High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, will all be representing the NPP in the December election.

However, Joe Osei-Owusu, the chief executive of the Driver Vehicle and Licensing Authority, who wanted to go to Parliament for the first time had his hopes dashed when he was defeated by Kofi Adusei Poku, the incumbent MP at Ashanti Bekwai.

At the end of the grueling encounter only one vote separated the two (69-70).

Boniface Abubakar Saddique, Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing, has also won the primary at Salaga in the Northern Region.

He polled 107 votes as against nine obtained by Issah Danjumah.