In the last three days, a group of journalists have been assessing the incoming NPP primaries at the Kumawu consistency by visiting delegates in the constituency to ascertain the competent, perfect replacement of the late Member of Parliament Hon Philip Basoah.
In the survey, 80 delegates out of 400 were approached and interviewed from all the 25 electoral areas. This represents 20 per cent of the total delegates. They were asked simple questions on who the popular candidates were, why they would vote for a particular candidate, and some other general questions.
44 out of 80 delegates interviewed noted that, Dr Aboagye DaCosta, who is the Director of Health Promotions at the Ghana Health Service is very popular in the constituency and has a lot of connections in Ghana, government, and aboard. According to them, they have been observing Dr. DaCosta on television, especially during the Covid-19 days serving in his capacity for God, country and constituency, and even more recently on YOLO.
Some of the delegates were happy to meet him in person and believe he is very influential. Others also see Dr. Da Costa as a unifier who will bring the tensions in the constituency down.
Again some of the delegates said Bodomasi is the second largest area in the constituency after Kumawu but have never had a Member of Parliament (MP) or a District Chief Executive (DCE) l. They think if the candidate comes from Bodomasi, it will be fair.
In the Bodomasi electoral areas, the delegates said they can not have two persons from the same town contesting each other, especially where Dr Da Costa and his nephew Ernest Yaw Anim are both from Bodomasi and are willing to contest. They advised both candidates to dialogue and select one person to represent the town. Though few believe Dr. Da-costa and his nephew are playing political games because they have sighted them campaigning together in the Bodomasi electoral area.
According to an informant, they both pledged in a gathering before the Bodomasi delegates that they will meet to select one person. Video evidence was shown to the reporters. Feedback from some members of the late Philip Basoah’s team indicate that they will throw their support for either Dr. Da Costa or his nephew Ernest Yaw Anim.
Lawyer Edward Osei came second in terms of popularity with 27 out of 80 delegates interviewed. Lawyer Osei contested the late Philip Basoah in the last primaries.
According to some of the respondents, Lawyer Edward Osei would have been a good candidate, but he collected items he donated to some of the electoral areas when he lost the last election. This has angered the majority of the delegates according to the feedback obtained. Some of the delegates also stated that some of the constituency executives and council of elders had a meeting and threw their support for Lawyer Osei. In the meeting, some executives, including the First Vice Chairman Mr Kwame Appiah Kubi, walked out.
The First Vice Chairman has picked up a form to contest. There appears to be confusion between lawyer Osei’s camp and the District Chief Executive’s (DCE) camp. Some delegates alleged that the DCE is spearheading a return of the former MP, Hon Yaw Baah. Though the delegates noted that lawyer Yaw Baah does not respond to their calls and has lost touch with the people. They think his time has passed.
6 out of 80 delegates said they would go for the first vice chairman of the constituency. The concerns from the delegates were that the first vice chairman is not influential. Some delegates said Mr Kwame Appiah Kubi may not be able to pull resources to the constituency when compared to Lawyer Osei and Dr Da Costa. Even though some delegates noted that they spotted Mr Kwame Appiah Kubi over the weekend with Mr Kwadwo Mpiani, the former chief of staff in the constituency. They believe Mr. Appiah Kubi is not someone who can mobilise resources for development in the constituency.
2 delegates out of the 80 said there is a lady called Ama Serwaa who engaged various delegates over the weekend, but it is their first time seeing her. According to some of the respondents, Ama Serwaa is not known much in the constituency.
