President John Dramani Mahama is promising nine more parliamentary seats for the National Democratic Congress in the Ashanti region, the electoral world bank of the opposition New Patriotic Party.
The NDC won four parliamentary seats in the 2012 elections after victories in the Ahafo Ano North and Sekyere Afram Plains constituencies added to the party’s traditional Asawasi and New Edubiase seats.
Addressing party sympathizers in five constituencies at the start of a 4-day campaign tour in the Ashanti region, President Mahama revealed opinion polls or surveys conducted in the nine new constituencies favored the National Democratic Congress’ electoral victory.
President Mahama says the party has targeted 13 parliamentary seats in the Ashanti region to consolidate its Presidential votes.
According to him though victory in Presidential elections is a done deal, he want sympathizers to work hard to ensure NDC win convincingly towards achieving 1 million votes target in the Ashanti region.
Nonetheless, he believes his government’s unparallel achievements in the provision of infrastructure in the Ashanti region would propel it to victory.
He mentioned free supply of fertilizer and other farm inputs to cocoa farmers, construction of roads in cocoa producing areas as well as extension of electricity to seventy communities in Adansi South and Adansi North constituencies respectively.
There was a fanfare for party supporters some of whom had the opportunity for the first time to shake hands with the First Gentleman of the state who also introduced the party’s parliamentary candidates for News Edubiase, Adansi Asokwa, Akrofurom, Obuasi East and West respectively.
So what are the constituencies National Democratic Congress has targeted in the Ashanti region?
Spokesperson for the regional NDC Campaign team, Samed Akalilu mentioned some of the constituencies as Ejura Sekyeredumase, a safe seat the NDC lost to the NPP in 2012, Offinso North and Asante Akim Central where Mary Ewusi would be battling it out with Lawyer Andy Appiah Kubi of the NPP.
The rest are Adansi Asokwa, Ahafo Ano South East and West as well as Obuasi East and West. Ashanti Regional Minister and former Deputy Minister at the Gender and Children John Alexander Ackon lead the party’s charges in Obuasi West whilst Richard Ofori Boadi, Municipal Chief Executive for Obuasi Municipal is the NDC’s candidate for Obuasi East.
“We are retiring K.T Hammond in Adansi Asokwa. I can bet everybody here and our candidate Appiah Kubi is winning Offinso North.”
Meanwhile, Dompoasehene, Okofo Soben Kai the second has asked President Mahama to accept the outcome of the 2016 elections.