Majority Leader and Suame legislator, Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu, may run unopposed in the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP)’s upcoming parliamentary primaries.
Despite potential threats by another aspirant, polling station executives in the constituency are pushing for a no contest as 600 of them petition party leadership.
Constituency Secretary, Pius Acheampong, told JoyNews the petitioners form majority of 765 delegates.
“Some of the delegates personally came here, including electoral area coordinators, to say that they don’t want any contest. Some of them came here with a petition signed by some of the polling station executives, chairmen, women organisers and secretaries saying they want him to go unopposed,” he said.
The Parliamentary Affairs Minister filed his nomination forms on Tuesday to contest the April parliamentary primaries.
He is the first to file after private legal practitioner, John Darko, earlier picked forms to challenge the incumbent for the parliamentary slot.
Last week, Mr Mensah-Bonsu supported suggestions that the party allows some Members of Parliament to go unopposed because of their immense contribution to the state through parliament.
Also, some chiefs, led by Kwaprahene, Baffuor Adugyamfi Kumanin, entreated party delegates to allow the Majority Leader to go unopposed.
Their position is in recognition and appreciation of Mr Mensah-Bonsu’s achievement.
Mr Acheampong said the executives have legitimate concerns which cannot be brushed aside.
“If we consider their petition, I think that the constituency will grant that for Mr Mensah-Bonsu to go unopposed because we depend on the polling station executives; they are our pillars so we can’t let it go like that. We are going to grant them that wish,” he said.
It is not clear what could be the fate of Mr Darko who is yet to file his nomination after he picked the forms.
He earlier petitioned the regional executives after constituency executives denied him access to the nomination forms, an allegation they latter denied.
However, Mr Mensa-Bonsu told journalists he is open for a contest irrespective of the outcome of the petition.
“Whatever the party decides [binds me]. I am not the party. I hear people say I have bought all the forms in the constituency, but that is not true because I haven’t come here,” he said.
Source: Ghana|Nhyira FM|Ohemeng Tawiah|ohemengtawiah@gmail.com