Interesting dynamics are emerging in the Assin Central Constituency where the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) is set to field a new face for the parliamentary elections for the first time in 24 years.
The presidential ambition of the six-time Member of Parliament (MP), Mr Kennedy Agyapong, has left a vacuum, which interested members of the party are scrambling to fill.
The NPP is seeking to extend its 24-year winning streak in the 2024 elections, but many believe that the absence of Mr Agyapong from the ballot paper could spell doom for the party.
However, the party has vetted and approved four aspirants for its January 27 parliamentary primary and each aspirant is convinced they have what it takes to replace the MP and protect the seat.
The aspirants are Mr Obed Kumi Awuah, Mr Eric Kwadwo Baidoo, Mr Godfred Nti Anewu and Mr Joseph Adjei-Banin, all businessmen.
The contest is a battle of promises and records as the aspirants jostle one another to win the hearts and minds of delegates ahead of Saturday.
Mr Kumi Awuah believes he comes into the race as the strongest and only candidate capable of consolidating the seat.
He indicated that there were four candidates in the race with human favour, but he was the only candidate before God.
“My biggest achievement is having campaigned in almost all electoral areas and polling stations of the constituency.
“So, with my experience, resources and everything coming to bare, I’m going to ensure that we more than consolidate the seat as has been done by Mr Kennedy Agyapong,” he said.
He acknowledged that everybody in the race was eligible to contest but none of his competitors came close to him.
Asked why he was now showing up to contest in the race, he said there was no point contesting the incumbent MP because he was a solid candidate and the constituents believed in his leadership.
Mr Kumi Awuah averred that it was incumbent on the next parliamentary candidate to sustain fortunes of the party.
“With our next move and my candidature, we are going to consolidate the seat for NPP.
“What we are seeking to do is to get to the point where the NDC will not even have the temerity to even think about fielding a candidate to contest because that will be a waste of money,” he said.
Mr Kwadwo Baidoo, who failed in his bid to contest the incumbent MP four years ago, indicated that his capacity to lead was not in doubt, tipping himself as the best man for the job.
He promised to improve education, sanitation and health if given the nod.
It was also his vision to build a factory in Assin Central, expand manufacturing and agriculture and create jobs for the teeming youth.
He pledged to scale up his ongoing entrepreneurship drive among the constituents of Assin Central.
“My vision goes beyond Assin Central because Assin Central is just a political boundary.
“We will be having collaborative meetings with Assin North and Assin South to strategise on what we can do for our people,” he said.
Mr Baidoo, flaunting his achievements, said he had implemented sickness and death insurance policies for delegates and their families and was working to expand it to the rest of the constituents at an affordable fee.
“I am not going to wait till I get to power before I help the people. They need help here and now and we can’t wait,” he added.
For Mr Nti Anewu, he comes along with integrity and good leadership to ensure he delivers on his promises and heeds to the requests of his constituents.
“I am bringing God into politics. They say politics and God do not mix but I insist that it is God that instituted politics,” he stated.
He said aside from his policy to provide jobs for the people, his main preoccupation would be to work on the mindset of the youth to cultivate the habit of hardwork and fending for themselves.
He was of the view that without the right mindset, the people would fail in any endeavour irrespective of the resources at their disposal.
“When I started business, everything, from the shop to the goods, was on credit. But now I am contesting to become MP.
“We will try and change the mindset of the youth, and through that, they will develop massively,” he assured.
Mr Adjei-Banin, without stating exactly what his vision and achievements were, indicated that he would involve the youth in all his activities.
“We are youth-centred, and we will make sure that everything that we have said we do and do more,” he indicated.
Source: GNA
