In Anyaa-sowutuom constituency, all the five candidates who filed their nominations to contest Anyaa-Sowutuom parliamentary seat after the sitting MP, Mrs. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey pulled out of the race were all cleared to face off at the party’s primaries.
The five candidates comprise Dr. Emmanuel Lamptey, the Municipal Chief Executive of the area, Mr. Emmanuel Tobin, Madam Edna Sackey, Dr. Adomako Kissi and Nana Ama Asafo Boakye.
But the legality of the qualification of the MCE to contest in the yet-to-be decided parliamentary primaries is likely to face fierce opposition as some party executives and staunch supporters within the constituency plans to challenge the legality of his qualification to contest.
Just recently, the ruling New Patriotic Party in their bid to strengthen its constitution for better administration of the party, held series of delegates’ conferences to solicit views from party members.
As a result, the party, on17th December 2017, held an extraordinary delegates’ conference in Kumasi to consider all proposals and deliberate on the amendment of the constitution.
After everything was said and done, it came to be known that MMDCES from non-orphan constituencies who may want to contest for NPP parliamentary primaries, are not qualified to do so except otherwise such persons step down three years ahead of time.
It was therefore not surprising at all when Mrs Henrietta Mary Eyison, the MCE for Ahanta West in debunking rumours to contest NPP parliamentary primaries, made reference to a portion of the NPP’s Constitution and an order from the President, Nana Addo Danquah Akuffo-Addo that any MMDCE who wished to contest for a parliamentary seat must resign three years ahead of the contest.
Mrs Eyison said this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency on February 2, 2020 upon hearing the rumours about her decision to contest in the upcoming primaries of the Party contrary to the presidential order.
She added that all MMDCEs within constituencies with sitting NPP Members of Parliament cannot contest in the parliamentary primaries which were initially slated for April 25, 2020 before being suspended indefinitely.
This is a clear indication that no MCE or DCE is qualified to contest in the upcoming NPP parliamentary primaries. Despite that, Anyaa Sowutuom though not an orphan constituency, has approved the candidature of Hon. Dr Emmanuel Lamptey in the recently held vetting to approve Parliamentary Candidates.
Some party apparatchiks from Sowutuom don’t understand the reason why Dr Emmanuel Lamptey was not disqualified despite the fact that the order which mandates any MCE or DCE who may want to contest in the NPP parliamentary race to step down three years ahead of time in constituencies with sitting MPs still being in force.
As a result, some fraction of the party executives and staunch supporters within the constituency considering the illegalities surrounding the Candidature of the MCE and the threat it poses to the party has hint of resisting what they describe as forceful imposition of the MCE on them by some strong hands at the party headquarters.
This revelation was sourced from Mr. Joseph Archibald Adjei a businessman, and some party executives from the constituency whose names for some reasons have been withheld.
The dream of Dr Emmanuel Lamptey, the MCE for Ga Central Municipality to become the parliamentary Candidate for Anyaa Sowutuom constituency on the ticket of NPP is likely to come to a deadlock should this provision in the party’s constitution is upheld.
The situation of skirt and blouse or independent candidature is also likely to occur if NEC or any other person or authority attempt to impose the candidature of Mr Edward Lamptey on the people, Mr Achibald said.
This situation falls directly in line with the stance of one of the founding members of the new Patriotic Party, Dr. Kwame Amoako Tuffour’s. He has kicked against the party’s decision to “handpick” some of their parliamentary candidates should the COVID-19 pandemic persist.
According to Dr. Tuffour, the party should not attempt to repeat the mistakes that led them to opposition in the 2008 general election.
He said this on Okay FM’s Ade3 Akye Abia show hosted by Kwame Nkrumah Tikese on 6th May 2020.
By Owusu Baffoe Daniel
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This situation in Anyaa Sowutuom is paving the way for a monarchy type democracy. Hon Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey pressures the president to handpick her relative as MCE, Bashiru dumps a candidate’s application in the dustbin on the speculated insistence of the foreign minister. Then they flout rules of the Nec to impose Lamptey on the people of Anyaa Sowutuom as MP. If the party wants to learn something they should get the data analysis of Shirley’s Ayorkors candidacy over the years and they will realize the popularity of her candidacy is falling along with anything she is associated with in the last election the president garnered more votes than her and if you hit the ground Lamptey has been an epic failure as MCE. If the party does not want to lose they seat they should let the rules apply cos I for one will vote for Nana but not an imposed MP or any MP that is in cahoots with Shirley
Lamptey is a failure as MCE he is not deserving nor does he bear the skills of leadership to become MP because your relative is the Foreign Minister and she lobbied your position for you doesn’t mean u qualify plus we know u were Ndc prior to the 2016velections