Mad rush for Agyarko’s seat

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) yesterday closed nominations for filing to contest in the impending by-election in the Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency.

Six people, including

Mame Yaa Aboagye, Deputy Director of Communications of the NPP, had filed their nominations to contest the vacant parliamentary seat occasioned by the sudden death of the NPP Member of Parliament (MP) for the area, Emmanuel Kyeremanteng Agyarko.

Other aspirants are Samuel Amankwa, a former Youth Organiser of the constituency; Lydia Alhassan, widow of the deceased MP, who had earlier denied any interest in the seat; Ato Williams; Edward John Kufuor, son of former President Agyekum Kufuor and Victoria Esinam Offei-Ansah, Assembly woman for West Legon.

The NPP open nominations on Friday and closed the filing yesterday, with vetting starting today at the party’s headquarters.

Mame Yaa Aboagye made good her plans to vie for the Ayawaso West Wuogon seat when she picked her nomination forms at the Dzorwulu Office of the NPP in Accra and submitted them yesterday.

The event was marked by fanfare, as her supporters danced and made merry.

Mame Yaa adorned in party colours of red, white and blue, acknowledged greetings from well wishers.

She vowed to unify the party as it especially prepares for the by-election slated for January 19, 2019.

Mame Yaa Aboagye was born on 2nd September 1982 in Accra, and upon her completion of Achimota School, she proceeded to the UK where she attended the Irwin College.

She holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Health Psychology from the University of Bedfordshire in the United Kingdom.

She returned to Ghana to set up her own business and was active in the campaign towards the 2016 polls.

She is a polling station organizer of the Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency.

Mame Yaa is a Deputy National Communications Director of the party (NPP), a position, which was bestowed on her this year.

The NPP has set GH¢1,000 as nomination fee and GH¢10,000, which is non-refundable, as filing fee.

However, female aspirants, as well as the youth and persons with special need, have been given a special dispensation of 50 percent discount in respect of the filing fee.

The party has instituted a five-member elections committee to be chaired by Peter Mac Manu to supervise the polls.

Meanwhile, John Dumelo, a member of the NDC, who had picked forms to contest on the ticket of the opposition party, has withdrawn from the race; apparently he is not a registered voter in the constituency.

As at press time Nana Wereko Ampem, a member of the constituency’s council of elders, who earlier expressed interest in the seat, had withdrawn from the race.