NPP Primaries: Akufo-Addo 'has affirmed me' – Asenso Boakye

It promises to be a turf war that would require great political dexterity and acumen to win as the race for who represents the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the December 7, 2020 parliamentary elections in the Bantama Constituency gathers steam, MyNewsGh.com reports.

Deputy Chief of Staff, Francis Asenso Boakye who is attempting the candidacy for the third time seems to be enjoying the open support of the delegates, but incumbent Member of Parliament (MP) and government Spokesperson on Finance, Daniel Okyem Aboagye would not succumb.

For Asenso Boakye, his appointment as a Deputy Chief of Staff by President Akufo Addo means he “has affirmed me as a person of tact, good judgment and discretion” and the position “with its heavy responsibilities, has enhanced my capacity and prepared me adequately to serve the people of Bantama, both as a legislator and as an agent of development”, he wrote after filing his nominations on Saturday.

He comes this time, as a generous figure in the eyes of the delegates, owing to his periodic donations to the party and lobbying of government projects, among which school blocks, road projects and lighting systems for the Bantama Sub Metro; a factor that has skyrocketed his popularity over the incumbent MP even among non-delegates.

It may be recalled that, MyNewsGh.com reported in May 2019 that, the Nasara Wing of the NPP in the Bantama Constituency had already declared its support for Asenso Boakye following “a brief ceremony to handover some assorted food items worth several thousands of Ghana Cedis to the Muslim community to assist in their Ramadan”.

The incumbent, Daniel Okyem Aboagye however would count on his campaign of advancing Bantama from the back benches of Parliament to the front row after ousting Henry Kwabena Kokofu who had also gone for only his first term as a legislator; his plea to the Ashanti Regional NPP Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako to consider him to stand opposed backfired.