Teddy is the obvious choice – Nuertey Ayertey declares as he files nominations

The honourable Deputy Eastern Regional Minister, Samuel Nuertey Ayertey has filed nomination papers together with the filing fee of Ghc 20,000 in Odumase-Krobo in the Eastern Region to contest the New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary primaries.

Mr. Ayertey, popularly called Teddy Braino arrived at the NPP’s constituency office at Odumase-Krobo, flanked by a few party faithful and a handful of well-wishers as he preferred to keep the ceremony a low key activity.

A handful of party activists, some carrying party flags and paraphernalia, waved at the deputy minister who responded with a smile.

With hundreds of delegates set to elect the party’s next parliamentary candidate, Samuel Ayertey will go to the polls, set for the orphan constituencies in September, after a successful vetting process which is seen as a referendum on the two parliamentary hopefuls, Samuel Ayertey and Linda Adadevor.

“The people are calling on me to run again. I have thought about it and I have realized that if I am given the chance again, I’ll be successful,” the deputy minister told journalists after he has filed his nomination, adding that his motivation to win the primaries prompted him to pick the forms.

Mr. Ayertey had won the Lower Manya Krobo constituency by a large margin of votes in 2015 and is looking to improve his performance with the incumbent MP for the constituency and other parties gearing to put up strong candidates against him.

The probability of the incumbent Member of Parliament, Ebenezer Okletey Terlabi of the National Democratic Congress, (NDC) retaining his parliamentary primaries status and subsequently running against him in the likelihood that he (Samuel Ayertey) wins on the ticket of the NPP is likely, with the deputy minister bent on turning the tide around in the 2020 parliamentary elections.

Confident that he has gained tons of experience in the political game, Mr. Ayertey said capitalizing on this experience will hand him a more resounding victory come September 2019.

“I contested in 2016 and this is where it has brought me,” said Mr. Ayertey. “In 2016 you (Ayertey) did not know where to step for the right results. Now I know where to step and where not to step.”

With unity being the top clarion call from the party’s top hierarchy ahead of the polls, the 2016 parliamentary candidate hopes to unite party delegates and supporters and leverage on the unity to win the heart of delegates.

“I have to rally our members for unity. If there is unity amongst us, I believe they will vote for me and I’ll win massively because I already have my support base,” he averred.

Recounting his 2016 performance, the aspiring lawmaker said though the NPP’s 2012 parliamentary candidate, Dedo Dufie won in 20 polling stations out of 112, he improved on the fortunes of the party by winning in 78 out of the 112 polling stations in the constituency, a development which defines him as a marketable candidate for the party.

He identified the NDC as the “common enemy” of the NPP and called for peace and unity in the NPP to fight their opponents. Whiles he is ready to support his sole contender, Linda Adadevor should he be given the nod, he equally called on her to also support him if he is given the nod.

He believes his chances are clear. “My chances are clear, this is obvious to everyone, Teddy is the obvious choice,” he said. “We can’t be changing candidates every four years, no we can’t do that,” he charged, urging his only contender to join him instead of contesting him.

Meanwhile, chairman of the NPP’s election committee in the Lower Manya Krobo constituency who received the forms cautioned the delegates and party supporters to eschew insults and intemperate language during the campaign season.

Mr. Edward K. Amanor while addressing the handful of supporters said members of the NPP belong to one family hence no need for acrimony between the two contenders.

At the close of nominations on August 3rd, 15 Aspiring Parliamentary candidates successfully filed their nominations in six orphan constituencies in the Eastern Region.

They include, Samuel Nuertey Ayertey and Linda Adadevoh for Lower Manya Krobo, Paul Asare Ansah, Kwame Adu Darkwa and Kofi Osei for the Asuogyaman Constituency, Francis D Appertey, Eric Tetteh for the Yilo Krobo Constituency, Frederick Adom Obeng, Maxwell Tenkorang, Eugene Sackey and Daniel Yeboah Nortey for Upper West Akim Constituency while the Afram Plains South has Hor William and Zineyele Jacob with Afram Plains North Constituency coming with Nana Ofori Koree and Anim Asiama as contenders.

A statement signed by the NPP’s Eastern regional secretary, Jeff Konadu Addo congratulated the aspirants and the Constituency Elections Committee for the peaceful process and wished all Aspirants the best in the vetting and primaries.