My decision to run won’t hurt NDC – Kpessa Whyte

Parliamentary candidate aspirant for the Shai Osudoku Constituency on the ticket of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), Dr. Michael Kpessa Whyte, has debunked claims his decision to rerun for the parliamentary candidate position could hurt the party.

Dr. Whyte said his decision would deepen the democratic credentials of the party at the local level and present the electorates the opportunity to choose a candidate who would best serve their goals and aspirations.

He was responding to the constituency secretary of the party, Bright Bawa, who observed that Dr. Whyte’s candidature would deepen the cracks within the party following an acrimonious primary held earlier.

Mr. Bawa among other things said Dr. Whyte was being pushed by President John Mahama and that he is not well placed to lead the party into the November polls because there was a convention that allows for a limited three-term candidature for Shai and Osudoku candidates.

According to him, both former and outgoing members of parliament, Mr. Mike Gizo and David Tetteh Asumeng, from the Shai and Osudoku traditional areas respectively, have both served three terms only and passed on the baton.

“It is now the term of the Shai people to lead the party, a traditional strong hold of the party, into the parliamentary elections,” he noted

But speaking in an interview on an Accra based radio station, Dr. Whyte, who hails from Osudoku, said he was contesting on his own volition denying the allegations that he was being imposed on the people by the president adding that there is no such convention as mentioned by the constituency secretary.

His decision to contest the elections, he stressed, is borne out of his commitment to the development of the area having lived and grown there and knowing the developmental challenges of the area.

“My relationship with the Flagstaff House, had no bearing on my decision but a response to a call by the many hearts I had won in the run-up to the earlier primaries,” he added.

“I am contesting as a true son of Shai Osudoku who believes in the hopes and aspirations of the area and as someone who grew up there and knows the constituency very well,” he insisted.

Dr. Whyte explained that parliamentary representation was a serious business which was meant to bring development to the people and that his experience best placed him to give the people of the area a louder and a more effective representation in national issues.

Responding to the convention, Dr. Whyte said there was no ethnic or geographical consideration in the election of both Mr. Gizo and Mr. Asumeng because they all came from Osudoku and were always challenged at primaries by people from the two traditional areas.

The rerun became necessary after the winner of the earlier primaries, William Oklu, died in a car crush.

Dr. Whyte is battling it out with Ms. Linda Akweley Oklu, the wife of the deceased parliamentary candidate.