Kumawu by-election: I won’t step down – Independent candidate vows

Independent parliamentary candidate in the upcoming Kumawu by-election, Mr Kwaku Duah has vowed not to step down no matter the juicy offer from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to him.

According to him, his decision to contest the seat is to save the future of the youth in his constituency who supported him from day one when they challenged him to contest in 2020.

Asked on Kumasi-based Angel Fm if the leadership of the NPP has approached him to step down, Mr. Kwaku Duah sharply replied, “It won’t work, they have been calling but that is not going to work”.

Affirming his stance Mr Kwaku Duah stressed that, the NPP is going to get a shock in their lives as there is going to be a replica of what happened in the Fomena constituency where the independent candidate was declared the winner.

“I want to make it clear that, what is happening in Kumawu is a replica of what happened in Fomena in 2020”, he said.

Mr Kwaku Duah who was a member of the ruling NPP parted ways with the party in the 2020 election massing total votes of 11,698 as against the late MP Hon Philip Basoah’s 14960 votes which made him a winner.

Meanwhile, the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the NPP Mr Bernard Antwi Boasiako, aka Chairman Wontumi while addressing NPP members after a successful primary at Kumawu Besore said:

“As the regional Chairman leading the party into this by-election, I can confirm that as of now, the NDC candidate and the former NPP member who has rebelled against us to contest as an independent candidate sponsored by the NDC behind the scene is now powerless and weak”.

But Mr Kwaku Duah in an earlier response described the claim as a distraction and a way to derail people’s attention to talk of relevant issues in the area.

Mr Kwaku Duah will face the NPP candidate Ernest Yaw Anim and the NDC’s Mr Kwasi Amankwah.

The Electoral Commission (EC) has slated Tuesday, May 23, 2023, as the date for the elections.