I've Not Asked Any Aspirant To Step Down For Ricketts-Hagan--Mahama

The Member of Parliament for Cape Coast South Constituency, Kweku Ricketts-Hagan is exposed by the former president and the flagbearer of NDC, John Dramani Mahama for telling people that he (JM) is asking aspirants to step down for him (Ricketts).

Hon. Ricketts-Hagan has declared his intention to run fo the Cape Coast South parliamentary seat for the third time contrary to his own words that he would not seek re-election in 2020 and nothing would change his decision.

The Cape Coast South lawmaker on the 20th of March, 2019 made a public declaration that he wants to come back and contest the seat due to the pressures coming from the flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama and Mr. Ato Ahwoi. The MP and his close allies go round talking party members that it was not his own decision to come back but JM and Uncle Ato Ahwoi have tasked him to win the seat for the party in 2020 and he is the most credible person to do so.

Because of this assertion, rumours are spreading within the party members that the other contenders who are already canvassing for support in the constituency would be asked to step down for Ricketts-Hagan. John Mahama and Ato Ahwoi are the brain behind that move and they want to impose Ricketts-Hagan on them.

But sources close to the former president had denied the rumours coming from Ricketts-Hagan's camp. John Dramani Mahama is a democrat and he believes in a contest so there is no way he would ask anyone to step down for the other. He even went into a contest with six other candidates and he was not bothered because he (JM) knew the contest would energise the party.

A close confidant of the former president who spoke to me in anonymity expressed how furious he (JM) became when he heard the rumour. He said, any individual who wishes to contest would be allowed of meets the constitutional requirements.

Mr. Ato Ahwoi has also denied ever asking Ricketts-Hagan to contest the Cape Coast South seat for the third time and also promised to talk to the other aspirants to step down for him. If he thinks he is on the ground, he should not fear any contest. He must face the contenders and beat them as JM did in the recent presidential primaries.

Kweku Ricketts-Hagan declared to the whole constituency on several occasions that he won't seek re-election in 2020 and the last time he made such comment was 23rd February, 2019 at the constituency party officer after the declaration of the presidential primaries results.

Then he came back a month later to lie to them that John Mahama and Ato Ahwoi are the persons who are putting pressure on him to come back and contest the seat.

The fact is that, Ricketts-Hagan has lost touch with the grassroots of the party in the constituency because he virtually neglected the constituency for the past two years because he was very sure he would not seek re-election.

With exception of Ricketts-Hagan, other five persons had showed interest to contest in the primaries and they are always on the move. These are Mr. Thomas Hughes Amissah, popularly known as Skillful who was the only contender to Ricketts in the 2015 parliamentary primaries, Mr. Henry Osei, popularly know as SHOE, Madam Tina Frimpong, Former Central Regional Women's Organiser of the NDC, George Perry Attah-Mensah who is a musician and popularly known as Okortor Perry and Mr. Emmanuel Akyianu.

Skillful and Shoe are the front-runners as far as Cape Coast South Constituency is concerned. Skillful is already known among the delegates and Shoe has also made great impact since he joined race. It would be difficult for Kweku to beat any of these two contenders and that is the reason why he is using JM's name to win the mandate of the people.

Now that JM and Ato Ahwoi have All denied this rumour, Ricketts will find it difficult to place even third in the primaries because Cape Coast South is sharply devided into Skillful and Shoe.