How underdog Kofi Arko Nokoe defeated heavyweight Catherine Afeku

The Evalue-Ajomoro-Gwira Constituency in Western Region is still consumed in an aura of jubilation as Kofi Arko Nokoe, a former President of the Axim Youth Alliance (AYA) defeated Catherine Afeku, the Minister of State at the Senior Minister's Office and MP for the area.

Some of the people who were interviewed by this Journalist, Daniel Kaku, preferred to term the just-ended contest as a replica of the David and Goliath story in the Bible.

This is because the MP-elect Kofi Arko Nokoe was just a youth leader with many limited resources, unlike Catherine Afeku who had the leverages of incumbency and a ministerial portfolio. It said that Catherine had oftentimes on record even referred to the MP-elect as a nobody and 'Kofi Cameraman'.

The young man, however, was admired by many of the constituents as he built a reputation for himself through service.

The mindblowing achievements that he chalked when he was the President of AYA won him much admiration.

With no common fund or government support, he led the construction of many monumental projects such the Ewoku Maternity block, Axim Public Cemetery Wall, Anto Radio sitting public sitting area, A water closet facility for the Old Axim Police Station, several foot bridges, a school building for the only Islamic School in the constituency, end-of-year party for kids, bicycles and shoes for students, several donations to the People with Disabilities (PWDs) and the Axim Hospital.

Many therefore believed that he could do more, with his MP's office.

He is known to have even resigned his job as a Deputy Director of the Nzema East Assembly to commit to full-time community service for straight six years and was of respectul in character and down to earth.

Mr. Ato Mensah, a native of Axim was of the view the people had on the other hand become fed-up with the arrogance and abuse of power by Catherine Afeku's administration with her unlawfully arrest of many of the constituents, intimidations with police force and her skirmishes with some of the Paramount Chiefs.

On public record, the Paramount Chief of Nsein, Awulae Agyeivi Kwame in 2019 during a sod cutting ceremony of Nsein township roads by the Minister of Roads Hon. Amoako Atta openly denied Catherine Afeku from addressing the gathering and called on his people to vote against Catherine Afeku come December 7 polls.

According to the Paramount Chief, Catherine Afeku was not respecting him and his stool.

Catherine Afeku also had grudges with the the Paramount Chief of Baminako and the President of Nzema Manle Traditional Council, Awulae Agamatu Agyan and on a public record, the Paramount Chief in 2019 met the press and performed sacrifice to ban Catherine Afeku from entering his land and in the just-ended Parliamentary and presidential elections, Catherine Afeku lost massively in that enclave.

Though Catherine Afeku lobbied for so many projects for Evalue-Ajomoro Gwira Constituency but these projects didn't materialize.

Many constituents and some journalists have attributed her defeat to her behaviour with her constituents.

Kofi Arko Nokoe is a 37-year-old young man who is a product of the Komenda College of Education and the Political Science Department of the University of Ghana.

He also holds a masters degree in Development Studies from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.

He won the seat with a shocking 2,533 vote margin.

Kofi Arko Nokoe is now MP-elect for Evalue-Ajomoro Gwira Constituency going to Parliament on January 7th, 2021 on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).