Modestus Ahiable defeated at NDC Primaries

Dzodze/Penyi (V/R), June 21, GNA - Mr James Klutse Avedzi, 35, a Chartered Accountant, at the weekend caused a political upset by beating Mr Modestus Ahiable, the sitting Ketu North Member of Parliament (MP) at the Constituency Delegates' Conference at Dzodze-Penyi to become the National Democratic Congress Parliamentary candidate for Election 2004. Mr Ahiable, MP since 1992, got 65 votes out of the 189 votes cast while Mr Avedzi polled 113 votes. Three other contestants polled single digits.

They were: - Mr Lucas Kwadzoga Alagbo, the Former President of National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), five votes; Mr Caesar Conor Kofi Dzakpasu, a Lecturer, four votes and Mr Freeman Atakpa, also a Lecturer, two votes.

Welcoming the delegates before the election, which was supervised by officials of the Electoral Commission, Mr Moses Azaglo, Constituency Chairman of the Party reminded them to consider the exercise as a process for greater unity for the Party and not to allow the outcome to divide their ranks.

In their concessionary speeches the other contestants congratulated Mr Avedzi for winning and pledged their unflinching support for him and the Party so that the Party could retain the seat.

Mr Ahiable, who is the Volta Regional Chairman of the Party, appeared composed. He said as the Regional Chairman of NDC, he had the responsibility to assist Mr Avedzi to win the seat in spite of the fact that he had defeated him in the primaries.

He called on the followers of the Party to rally behind the candidate and not to demand too much from him.

Mr Avedzi praised the loosing contestants for accepting the result and said the day marked the beginning of the victory journey for NDC and promised to work hand in hand with them and others for the future, saying the claim by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) that it would capture the parliamentary seat in the constituency was a daydream. Professor Kofi Awoonor, onetime National Co-Chairman of NDC, who hails from the area attended.