The New Patriotic Party’s (NPP), incumbent Member of Parliament for the Kwesimintim constituency in the Western Region, Joe Baidoe-Ansah, has lost his bid to contest in the 2016 polls.
In a fiercely contested primary, Joseph Mensah, polled 187 votes, whiles Joe Baidoe-Ansah had 122 votes. There were two rejected ballots, whereas 30 delegates were absent.
The primary had delayed due to the incumbent’s decision to sue Joseph Mensah, claiming that he was not a party member. Mr. Baidoe-Ansah had left the venue before the final result was declared.
However, several persons who are not delegates, were seen jubilating after the outcome was announced.
There were allegations that Joseph Mensah was once a cadre of the then PNDC regime, and that a book he had authored also made mention of the Provisional National Defense Council (PNDC) regime, led by Jerry John Rawlings.
However, an Accra High Court last week ruled that, Joseph Mensah, an employee of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority at Takoradi, was qualified to contest.
Joe Badoe-Ansah, had been the MP for Kwesimintsim since 2000, after he took over the seat from the CPP’s Nana Abekah in 1996.
However in 2012, he had opted to bow out of the race, until he made a sudden U-turn, when the Constituency was re-demarcated into Effia and Kwesimintsim respectively.
Knowing his strength in the Kwesimintsim area, he won the seat after returning, albiet in another controversial primary.
He had served in different ministerial portfolios such as Aviation and Tourism in the Kufuor administration. The NPP’s Joseph Mensah will come against the National Democratic Congress’ (NDC), Augustine Arthur.
In the 2012 elections, the votes difference between the NPP and the NDC, was about 6,000, whereas Nana Abekah, a CPP man who went independent polled 6,000 votes, with the PPP candidate polling a little over 1,000 votes.
However for the 2016 election, the independent candidate is not contesting, whereas the PPP has a new candidate believed to be much more formidable than their previous candidate.
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By: Ebenezer Afanyi Dadzie/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AfanyiDadzie