It appears the fifth term asking of the incumbent Member of Parliament (MP) for the Fanteakwa North constituency in the Eastern Region Hon. Kwabena Amankwah Asiamah under serious threat as delegates declared massive support for Mr. Gabriel Kese-Yeboah better known in political circles as One Gabby.
This is because delegates in the constituency have resolved to massively vote for one Gabby who they (delegates) described as grassroots person
The Fanteakwa North constituency, has recorded a historical number of five (5) individuals who successfully pass their vetting to contest the upcoming internal election on Saturday, January 27, 2024.
The five individuals are One Gabby, Barbara Makara-Maccugen, sitting Member of Parliament (MP) Hon. Kawbena Amankwa Assiamah, Rev. Dr. David Twum Antwi and Mr. Kwame Appiah Kodua, the current Eastern Regional Director in charge of the National Disaster and Management Organization (NADMO) has expressed interest in the seat.
In an interview with media, One Gabby expressed high optimism about beating the incumbent Member of Parliament (MP) for the Fanteakwa North constituency Hon. Kwabena Amankwah Asiamah in the party’s internal election come January
According to him, his track record, and contributions to the party and constituency in general coupled with a sense of belongingness and network make him the best candidate not only for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) but the constituency.
Without any sense of downplaying the huge contributions of the sitting MP towards bringing development, One Gabby stressed that the NPP and for that matter constituency needs new fresh blood with fresh socio-economic ideas irrespective of the yeoman’s work done by the MP.
“Our MP has done his part and I think what he can do is what he has done. To consolidate the gains of the MP and not to cede the seat to the National Democratic Congress (NDC), there is the urgent need for a fresh idea which I represent”, he mentioned.
One Gabby is of the view that there are tendencies of acrimony and apathy within the rank and file of party members at the constituency due to the long stay of the MP in parliament, a situation he said could cause the NPP dearly in the 2024 elections if not addressed now.
“I must say that representing the people in parliament for 16 years representing four (4) terms is not an easy achievement looking at the political climate of the country but when one overstayed his or her welcome, acrimony and apathy become the other way, he stated.
To this, he passionately called on the delegates to vote massively for him to lead the party in the constituency in the 2024 presidential and parliamentary elections.
The constituency Secretary Mr. Maxwell Ekutor described the exercise as highly transparent with its corresponding level playing ground created for all the prospective candidates.
According to him, unlike other areas across the country where there are pockets of misunderstanding and lack of accessibility for the forms, the constituency office made the forms accessible to all the aspirants
The constituency Secretary indicated that, in the history of the party within the constituency, it has never happened where over five (5) candidates have expressed high interest in contesting the seat.
He was overwhelmed by the number of aspirants contesting for this year’s primary and their level of enthusiasm shown, a situation he described as historic and unique since it has never happened in the history of the constituency.
Touching on the number of individuals contesting the primaries, the Secretary for the election committee hinted that the delegates are yelling for change and there is ample demonstration in the number of aspirants who have picked their forms.
When he was asked if the position of the delegates yelling for change is also a demonstration that the sitting MP has not done enough to warrant his fourth time in parliament, the Secretary stated that it is an individual political right to contest.
“This election is going to be unique because many delegates, constituents are yelling for a change and for that matter a lot of contestants, patriots are ready to come and contest so that the party improves upon the life of the constituents”, he mentioned.
“Please I am not saying that and I cannot say the sitting MP is not working. the sitting MP is also doing his best but you know we have individual differences, he might think he is doing his best but people also have their views and own opinions and nobody can question that”,
To this, “everybody thinks he or she can do better than the MP, hence the numerous aspirants coming to the scene but not necessarily saying that the MP has not performed because he is and has done his best which must be appreciated”.
When he was further probed whether he supports the yelling change of the people, the constituency Secretary responded “Please as far as I am concerned as a referee of a match, a referee should not wear a jersey and continue to play the match otherwise there would be any fair officiating. So far as I am concerned as the secretary for the election committee I need not say I am yelling for change.
He continued “I am only looking for whatever the delegates would decide and the delegates’ decision must be respected because they are the people that have been empowered to take a decision and their decision at the end of the day I will respect it.
“I will carry whoever will emerge as the winner to the general election in 2024 to face any candidate the largest opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) will present.
He advised the aspirants to be decorum and circumspect in their utterances and show political maturity devoid of insults and character defamation to come out stronger after the internal election.
Source: Mybrytfmonline.com/Solomon Nartey
