Ejisu by-election: Losing will be a nail in the coffin for the NPP – Prof Kobby Mensah
Political Marketing Strategist, Professor Kobby Mensah, has said that the political mood in Ejisu does not favour the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the by-election.
He says the independent candidates, especially Kwabena Owusu Aduomi have been giving the NPP a massive headache in the by-election.
Professor Kobby Mensah told Alfred Ocansey on the Ghana Tonight show on TV3 on Tuesday, April 30, that “Losing will be a nail in the coffin for the NPP.”
He added, “If you look at Fomena for example, the president had been there and talked about the idea that they don’t want to have anything to do with the independent candidate and yet the independent candidate won against the party’s choice.”
#GhanaTonight with Alfred Ocansey || 29-04-24 https://t.co/5LJeMdZ721
— #TV3GH (@tv3_ghana) April 29, 2024
Over 100,000 voters are voting today (April 30, 2024) to decide on who will replace the late Dr John Kumah as representative of the people of Ejisu Constituency in Parliament.
Six candidates are contesting for the seat.
They are; a former Member of Parliament for the area, now contesting as independent candidate, Kwabena Owusu Aduomi, New Patriotic Party’s Kwabena Boateng, Convention People’s Party’s Esther Osei, Liberal Party of Ghana’s Beatrice Boakye, Freduah Agyemang Joseph and Attakorah Joseph both independent candidates.
Meanwhile the Electoral Commission (EC) has urged electorates to trust them as they will ensure the voting is done in a free, fair, and transparent manner.
Reacting to allegations by the camp of one of the independent candidates that some ballot boxes have been stuffed in an attempt to rig the election, the Commission asked the public to ignore that claim.
“The time the allegation was made, we had not even started printing the ballot. How then can someone stuff the ballot boxes. And how is that even going to be done? Because our ballot box is transparent, and we open it before we start voting.
After close of polls, we open it there and then to count it in the presence of everybody. So how possible can somebody stuff the ballot box? These are false allegations and must not be given any attention. So, everybody should have confidence in the system. We as a Commission will not allow anybody to cheat or be cheated”, Ashanti Regional Director of Electoral Commission, Benjamin Bannor-Bio told 3news.com.
Mr Bannor-Bio however implored candidates to choose agents who are vigilant.
“The candidate should also trust the system and provide agents who are very effective, know the processes and can defend their rights. It’s not just bringing anyone who is loud, but can’t differentiate between 69 and 96”, he advised the contesting candidates.
Earlier, in interview with 3news’Ibrahim Abubakar, officials of EC assured that there will not be an issue of delay in all the 204 polling stations.
