Constituency watch: It’s battle between Whale and Elephant at Akropong
Call it the battle between the whale and the elephant for the Akropong Constituency seat and you will not be mistaken.
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This is because the constituency seat, which since 1996 has been occupied by the New Patriotic Party (NPP), the Elephant and being represented by Nana Dokua Asiama Agyei, is currently under a serious threat not from another political entity but an independent candidate.
Mr Asiedu Offei, the Independent Candidate popularly known as “No Size” (Whale) because he had single-handedly provided 72 social amenities in the area since February 2016, seems to have won the heart of the constituents.
While Mr Asiedu Offei and Nana Dokua are “battling it out” for votes at most gatherings in different parts of the constituency, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate, Mr Yaw Appiah-Kubi, has also girded his loins with the hope of dislodging the two.
The remaining candidate, Madam Mercy Anakwa, 58, a teacher who is representing the Convention People’s Party (CPP), seems to be making some inroads.
Apart from her few sun-baked discoloured posters seen on the walls, she has not yet made herself available for any gathering or the press. Her constituency office cannot be located, while the regional office in Koforidua is being rehabilitated with no one on site.
Straight fight
In reality, it is going to be a straight fight between Asiedu Offei and Nana Dokua and both candidates are leaving no stone unturned, appearing at every social gathering and drumming home their capabilities to win votes.
The first time the two met was at the Mampong Kontokyi Ohum Festival about a month ago where they embraced each other and urged their supporters to do likewise.
It was followed by another encounter at Amanokrom during which the two, together with Mr Appiah-Kubi, addressed the chiefs and people of the Gyase Division during the Awukudae Festival on what they had done or would offer the people of the area and also answered questions from the gathering.
Mr Asiedu Offei, who set the ball rolling, enumerated 72 projects, including markets, water and sanitation facilities and rehabilitation of roads in most of the communities some of which had been handed over to the people.
Mr Asiedu Offei, 58, a businessman who indicated that he would use his salary and other allowances if elected as the Member of Parliament (MP), asked the people to vote for him and any of the two leading Presidential Candidates, Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo-Addo of the NPP or the NDC’s John Dramani Mahama.
Nana Dokua’s message
Nana Dokua, 34, an entrepreneur and a second degree holder, for her part, gave the assurance that she would ensure that NPP’s one district-one factory programme materialised in the constituency.
According to her, the constituency would also benefit from other development projects, especially education, to improve the declining standards particularly at the basic level.
Appiah-Kubi assures
Appiah-Kubi, 29, a former assembly member, apart from giving the assurance of creating a platform for periodic discussion of development projects with the people, said the NDC was always for the interest of the people in the constituency.
Education and health, he also indicated, would be on the priority list.
NPP Achilles’ heel
One point worth noting, which is likely to tilt the balance against the NPP candidate at the polls, is the dismissal of 14 polling station executive members of the party who have joined the camp of Mr Asiedu Ofei.
According to their spokesperson, Mr Amishadai Ansah, they were booted out on suspicion of flirting with the independent candidate without being given a hearing.
“Going by the NPP constitution, we should have been given a hearing but this was not done before we were sacked so we have no other choice than to join Mr Asiedu Ofei,” Mr Amishadai Ansah stated
2012 Parliamentary results
During the 2012 Election, seven candidates contested the seat.
They are NPP’s William Ofori Boafo, who had 26,828 votes representing 61.15 per cent; Madam Margaret Ansah of the NDC,15,588 (35.53%), Kwaku Fredua-Agyeman of the PPP,689 (1.57%), Edward Yehonu Akakpo, Independent,523 (1.19%), Joseph Arkor Kwasi Sakyimante, 84 (0.19%) Alhaji Muhammed Muftao Seidu 81 (0.18%) and Beatrice Addo of the PNC, 80 (0.18%)
Presidential, 2012
Of the eight who vied for the diadem, NPP’s Nana Akufo-Addo was on top with 29,032 votes, representing 64.80% followed by NDC’s John Mahama, 15,389 (34.35%), Paa Kwesi Nduom of the PPP, 164 (0.37%), Henry Herbert Lartey, GCPP.122 (0.27%), Dr Abu Sakara, CPP,39 (0.09%), Jacob Osei Yeboah, Independent, 29 (0.06%), Hassan Ayariga, PNC,20 (0.04%) and Kwasi Addai, 7 (0.02%).
