J. H. Mensah's Seat in Danger

Senior Minister, Joseph Henry Mensah's days in Parliament look threatened with the declaration by a Sunyani based lawyer, Obiri Boahene to contest the Parliamentary primaries of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Sunyani East constituency.

Rounds made by The Independent in towns, villages and areas that make up the Sunyani East constituency revealed that the candidature of Lawyer Boahene is now a focal point of discussion.

Although many of the respondents who spoke to The Independent said they had no problems against the Senior Minister, they contended that with his age and his track in politics, it was about time that Mr. Mensah bows out for a much younger person.

And from our checks at the Sunyani Constituency, we discovered that stakeholders of the NPP as well as other functionaries are solidly behind Lawyer Obiri Boahene whose excellent performance at the Wuaku Commission has catapulted him into a cult figure.

Majority of the respondents who The Independent talked to said they favour the candidature of the young and astute lawyer for the Sunyani seat.

Nana Obiri Boahene who on two occasions stepped down for the Senior Minister, according to some party functionaries now reckons that the seat is his for the taking.

A diehard Danquah-Busia adherent and a founding member of the NPP in the Brong Ahafo region, even non-NPP activists who talked to this paper expressed said they would like to see the young and energetic lawyer represent them in Parliament.

They referred to such young MPs as Hon. Mensah Kyei Bonsu, NPP member for Old Tafo-Suame in Kuamsi and Hon. John Mahama, NDC, Bole who by their ages are introducing some form of dynamism into the legislature.

In interview, Mr. Obiri Boahene disclosed his preparedness to contest the Sunyani East Parliamentary on the ticket of the NPP in next year's parliamentary elections.

He said he has already put in motion plans that will help him sail through easily. This paper however could not confirm as at going to press whether the Senior Minister who was one time a NPP presidential candidate of the NPP will again bid for the Sunyani East seat. Some aides of the Senior Minister hinted that the "old man is seriously considering quitting politics after the first tenure of the Kufuor government. The veteran politician has not made any public statement to that effect.

Mr. Boahene speaking in his usual relaxed tone although optimistic about having a good chance of making it to the legislature did not play down on the possibilities that Hon. Mensah still enjoys some amount of support from party loyals.

The Sunyani lawyer gained maximum national attention when he served as counsel for many suspects who appeared before the Wuaku commission which was set up to investigate the disturbances that rocked Dagbon last year.