NPP Primaries: Assibey Yeboah’s request for help came too late – Kennedy Agyapong

A number of big shots of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) who fell after the primaries on Saturday, June 20 when the party went to the polls, are licking their wounds.

A notable Member of Parliament whose defeat came as a shock among the rank and file of the party is the Chairman of Parliament’s Finance Committee, Mark Assibey Yeboah.

The MP for New Juaben South lost to a political newbie in the person of Michael Okyere Baafi, the CEO of Ghana Free Zones Board.

Leading members of the NPP including the National Chairman, Freddie Blay and General Secretary, John Boadu have admitted that, they would have loved to protect some of the MPs, Assibey Yeboah included.

The issue of protecting legislators with key roles in Parliament has been raised since many of the defeated were chairpersons of select committees.

Speaking after his defeat, however, Mr Assibey Yeboah intimated that he doesn’t believe he should have been protected, adding that it was not an ‘entitlement’.

“I believe in competitive elections. What has happened in New Juaben is welcome because if I’ve been protected, then it means the party would’ve denied Michael Okyere Baafi, who is actually the ‘Darling Boy’ of the constituents now, the opportunity to go to Parliament.”

Having advocated for the support of Sarah Adwoa Safo, K.T Hammond and others to retain their seats in their respective constituencies, journalist Paul Adom Otchere asked why NPP bigwig Kennedy Agyapong did not come to the rescue of Mark Assibey Yeboah.

Kennedy Agyapong hinted that although Mr Assibey sought for his help, he lost because his plea came too late.

Speaking in an interview on Good Evening Ghana, the MP for Assin Central indicated that there were several party members who were scheming for the two-time parliamentarian of New Juaben South to lose the elections.

“…when he requested, it was too late. I hear there were a lot of NPP people there campaigning against him,” Mr Agyapong added.

Full list of losers in the Saturday primaries is below:

Greater Accra Region

Vincent Sowah Odotei – La Dadekotopon

Nana Akua Owusu Afriyieh – Ablekuma North

Ahmed Arthur – Okaikwei South

Alhaji Habib Saad – Bortianor Ngleshie Amanfro

Kofi Brako -Tema Central

Central Region

Abraham Odoom – Twifo Atti Morkwa

Anthony Effah – Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa

Ashanti Region

Daniel Okyem Aboagye – Bantama Constituency

Collins Owusu Amankwah – Manhyia North Constituency

Kwabena Owusu Aduomi – Ejisu Constituency

Kwame Asafu-Adjei – Nsuta/Kwamang/Beposo

Kennedy Kankam – Nhyiaeso Constituency

Ben Abdallah Banda – Offinso South Constituency

Western Region

Ato Panford-Shama Constituency

Joe Mensah – Kwesimintsim constituency

Alex Agyeku-Mpohor Constituency

Patrick Bogyako Kwame Saime- Amenfi East Constituency

Upper West Region

Godfred Bayong Tangu-Wa East Constituency

Patrick Adama-Sissala West

Ridwan Abass-Sissala East

Eastern Region

Mark Assibey-Yeboah – New Juaben South Constituency

Seth Kwame Acheampong – Mpraeso constituency

William Agyapong Qauitoo – Akim Oda Constituency

Opare Ansah – Suhum Constituency

Ama Sey- Akwatia Constituency

Kwabena Ohemeng- Tinyase Kade Constituency

Robert Kwasi Amoah – Achiase Constituency

Northern Region

Charles Bintin – Saboba Constituency

Alhaji Wahab Wumbei – Tolon Constituency

Bono Region

Dr. Kwabena Twum Nuamah – Berekum East Constituency

Kwasi Sabi – Dormaa East Constituency

North-East Region

Dr. Sagre Bambangi – Walewale Constituency

Upper East Region

Joseph Kofi Adda – Navrongo Central Constituency