The Ellembele constituency of the New Patriotic Party in the Western Region has massively endorsed the DCE for the area, Kwasi Bonzoh, as its parliamentary candidate for the 2024 general election after three unsuccessful attempts to snatch the seat for the party previously.
In all, 523 out of the 790 delegates who participated in the constituency’s primaries last Saturday voted for Mr Bonzoh, giving him 66.4 percent of the total valid votes cast.
Abeka Dauda Anvergyene, his sole contender, obtained 264 votes, with three ballot papers being rejected. Some 823 delegates were expected to cast their votes, but 780 showed up for the exercise which took place at Esiama.
Some of the jubilant delegates who spoke to the Daily Statesman, after the declaration of the results by EC officials, reiterated their confidence in Mr. Bonzoh as the only NPP member in Ellembele capable of wrestling the seat from Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, the incumbent NDC MP.
They said it was this confidence in Mr Bonzoh which always influence their decision to vote massively for him at primaries, adding that “No Bonzoh, no NPP Member of Parliament for Ellembelle.”
Sabotage
The delegates indicated that but for a sustained sabotage by some of their “wicked and selfish” former constituency executives, Mr Bonzoh would have been in Parliament long ago. They urged these executives to bow down their heads in shame.
According to them, it was this sabotage which infuriated them to vote all the 10 former constituency executives, led by Samuel Akainyah, out of office.
Popularly called “Chairman Atito”, Samuel Akainyah once reportedly said in the presence of some journalists that he would continue sabotaging DCE Bonzoh’s parliamentary ambition by preaching “skirt and blouse” and ensure that the “ball goes the corner instead of going straight into the net.”
One of the female delegates also recalled how Samuel Akainyah told her during the last general election to concentrate on her personal interest and stop fighting for someone who wanted to become an MP or minister of state and relocate to Accra.
However, the delegates have expressed their readiness to go all out to ensure a resounding victory for the NPP, both in the presidential and the parliamentary elections, come December 7.
They said Mr. Bonzoh had really suffered in achieving his parliamentary ambition, and should consequently be allowed to enter Parliament in January next year.
Commendation
The DCE commended them for solidly rallying behind him all these years and massively voting for him during primaries, as practical demonstration of their confidence in him.
He attributed their support and preference for him to hard work and achievements in the area over the years. He pledged to even do more as Member of Parliament.
Seen as “the face of NPP in Ellembele”, Mr. Bonzoh bemoaned his inability to snatch the seat for the party during the 2012, 2016 and 2020 general elections.
Victory ahead
He, however, expressed optimism that the story would be different this year, and that come 2025, he would be in Parliament to help next President Mahamadu Bawumia govern the country.
Mr. Bonzoh intimated that his victory in December would largely depend on unity within the party. He therefore spoke of plans to embark on a reconciliation exercise to bring all members on board after going to church and the mosque to thank God for the honour done him.
He disclosed that this exercise would start from Kamgbunli, his contender’s hometown, and would be extended to other communities in the constituency. “It is after this planned reconciliation exercise that I will hit the ground running with my campaign,” he further disclosed.
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