Thanks to Dr. Kwabena Duffuor’s withdrawer of his application at the Accra High Court seeking for interlocutory injunction against the National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) tomorrow, Saturday presidential and parliamentary primaries nationwide, four aspirants in the Lower Manya Krobo Constituency will be contesting for a slot to represent the party in the 2024 General Elections.
In order of their position on the ballot paper, the candidates include the incumbent Ebenezer Okletey Teilarbi, Kekeli Adanuvor, John Kenneth Ted-Tetteh and Dr. Winfred Baah of Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.
Having campaigned vigorously for more than a month, 1,430 delegates, making up of 1,395 branch executives, 27 constituency executives, 8 members including former and current Member of Parliament and past government appointees are expected to cast their ballot at the St. Clement Catholic Church Temple at Nuaso, opposite the new Electoral Commission Office.
Sources within the Odumase Police Command says security arrangements are far advanced and peace before, during and after the election is assured.
Effort to get the number of security officials to be deployed yielded no result, the officer said the Police Service is not permitted to grant media interview at the district level.
Geographical representation of the numbers and how it’s likely to impact the election
The fortunes of aspirants in elections such as this could also be estimated on strongholds, especially where a candidate is connected to in a particular social unit.
Majority of votes are scattered along Kpong Akuse zone with 360, where the Volta River Authority (VRA) staffer Kekeli Adanuvor is a native. Meanwhile, it is unclear her influence would translate into votes tomorrow.
The Agormanya zone also command respectful number of delegates, which could push Hon. Okletey Teilarbi if his biological tie is anything to influence the 279 people who are expected to go the polls.
Odumase Asitey and the Middle Belt zones have a voting population of 249 and 117 respectively. Manya Kpongunor and Nuaso collectively have 216 votes while Kodjonya and Atua may support John Kenneth Ted-Tetteh with their 117 delegates considering his background as the son of the party founder and first Member of Parliament on the ticket of the NDC, Major Rtd Ted Tetteh Kokroko.
Checks have it that the Middle Belt of the constituency is skewing support for the incumbent Okletey Teilarbi while Dr. Winfred Baah is slightly ahead in Akuse area.
That notwithstanding, delegates in Asitey and some part of Odumase are also routing for the Greater Accra Medical Association Secretary, Winfred Baah with a call to vote skirt and blouse if Mr. Okletey retain the slot.
It is quite unclear which aspirant is taking the lead among delegate in Agormaya when we conducted the survey.
Some supporters of John Kenneth Ted hold the view that a threat to their candidate was going to be Dr. Baah, considering his maturity and profession.
Synonyms between NDC 2012 Primaries and 2023
Hon. Ebenezer Okletey Teilarbi defeated Michael Teye Nyaunu by 26 votes in 2012 to get the nod for the first time and led the constituency to parliament after he failed to go to through in his attempt in the Ashanti Region, Oforikrom Constituency.
In a 3 candidates race contest, Mr. Larbi polled 211 votes against closest contender Michael Teye Nyaunu, with 185. Madam Cecilia Akweter had no vote.
But before the parliamentary primaries, out of favour in the sight of national officers, Michael Teye Nyaunu (MTN) ‘boys’ on the constituency executive lost their bids and left him almost alone.
In the build up to boot him (MTN) out, Mr. Okletey Teilarbi was made the Eastern Regional Deputy Minister, making him the ‘darling boy’ among the rank and files of the party.
It could be recalled that, around that era, in 2010, MTN was criticized for publicly saying the then president, Prof. J.E.A. Mills was sick, and thus couldn’t had contested the election.
Similarly, the 2022 Constituency Executive Elections in Lower Manya Krobo saw almost Mr. Teilarbi favourites out, including his right hand man, David Walter Hormenu.
Party members in the area have been accusing Hon. Oklety Teilarbi that he fell out of favour before John Dramani Mahama way back in 2016, and as a result the New Patriotic Party nearly won the parliamentary seat in that year’s election.
Members are also of the view that the situation has worsen after their MP openly supported Mr. Samuel Ofosu Ampofo in the recent National Delegates election against Mr. Asiedu Nketia, the current National Chairman for the party.
It is also a close door secrete that the former member of parliament, Michael Teye Nyaunu is against the incumbent equaling his four times consecutive records, hence working behind the scene to ensure victory for Dr. Winfred Baah.
Mr. Okletey Teilarbi’s Performance in Previous Parliamentary Primaries
The current MP had contested a total of 8 aspirants since 2012 when he came into the constituency. One of those aspirants, Dr. Joseph Teye Nuertey had contested him twice, 2015 and 2019.
Ms. Bennedicta Laasi who came close with 444 votes in 2019 is currently nowhere to be found this time round. Ebenezer Okletey moved 628, making him the winner in that contest as Dr. Joseph Teye Nuertey came third with 68 votes and David Tettey Kwame had the least votes with 35.
In 2015, a battle among Mr. Isaac Agbo Tetteh, Mr. Geophery Narkoli, Dr. Joseph Teye Nuertey and Mr. Ebenezer Okletey saw the later emerging victorious in a universal adult suffrage election among party members.
Vote Buying and Monecracy
Even though the electoral laws of Ghana frowns on vote buying and material influence, winnings in previous parliamentary primaries in the area were highly determined by who was able to pay more. This year could never be different. In the last NDC primary in the area, the highest bidder paid two hundred cedis cash across the over 1,200 delegates.
Television sets, refrigerators, cloths, cutlasses and weedicides for farming delegates, bags of maize and sugar for the abolo delegates should be expected.
Careful observations indicate that a candidate is ready to pay five hundred Ghana cedis to delegates to get their votes. A candidate in the Lower Manya Krobo constituency is likely to bag at least a thousand Ghana cedis home, aside the party’s food and transportation arrangement.
Who is Likely to Win?
After thorough analysis of the issues and the numbers, it is clear Kekeli Adanuvor may not make any serious impact in tomorrow’s election, considering her limited influence felt by members of the party when she was made to lead the women’s wing in the constituency.
That notwithstanding, she would have some few vote from Akuse and Kpong. However, the NDC as a party would not wish to present a female parliamentary candidate who is not a Krobo indigene, flashing back to their own utterance against the 2004 and 2012 New Patriotic Part (NPP) candidate, Dedo Dufie Agyarko.
All indications point to a fearsome competition between Ebenezer Okletey Teilarbi and Winfred Baah to sweep majority of the votes, though Kenneth Ted-Tetteh may pull a surprise.
Source: www.trustfmonlline.com/Omanba Kodwo Boafo
