Ahead of the New Patriotic Party’s parliamentary primaries slated for April 25, the Eastern regional leadership of the party has called for no primaries in the Upper Manya Krobo constituency. The Upper Manya seat is the only seat currently being occupied by the NPP in the Krobo enclave.
Until the 2016 elections, the NPP, in its political history, since the fourth republic, had never won a seat in any of the five non-Akan constituencies in the region. The constituencies are the Yilo Krobo, Upper and Lower Manya Krobo and Afram Plains North and South constituencies.
However, in 2016, the NPP’s parliamentary candidate of Upper Manya Krobo, Joseph Tetteh, jumped over the about 17,000 vote deficit to win by over 5000 votes.
This, according to the regional leadership, is remarkable, hence the call for no primaries in the constituency.
Speaking exclusively to the Evening Mail, the party’s regional vice-chairman, Alhaji Omar Bodinga, said anybody who wants to contest the incumbent MP would have to meet the regional leadership to explain to them why he/she should be allowed to contest Joe Tee, as the MP is affectionately called.
Selflessness
Alhaji Bodinga said the MP resigned from his position as a Deputy Regional Minister to focus on developing his constituency. He said with such selflessness, any attempt to change him can derail the party’s gains in the area.
He added that following his resignation, the MP, from his own resources, has bought an excavator which he is using to shape roads in the area.
Outlining a tall list of achievements of the MP, Alhaji Bodinga said the party cannot boast of a better alternative to him, hence the decision to let him go unchallenged.
“The Krobo enclave is a difficult area for us. To be relevant and be able to win a seat, you need an innovative candidate who is also resourceful and can win the heart of the people.
“Joe Tee has already won their hearts, and there is no need changing him. For us at the regional office, our decision is that it’s Joe Tee or no other, unless any other person can convince us that he is a better alternative,” he said.
No fears
Meanwhile, the MP has stated that while he would not want to speak on the issue, he is prepared to face whoever seeks to give him a contest. He said with the work that he has done in the area, he believes he will garner over 500 out of the 600 delegates’ vote, should there be a contest.
“Our main challenge is our roads. Fortunately, I’m dealing with them. For the first time, in the whole of the Manya Krobo enclave, only Upper Manya has had 74 kilometres of roads that are going to be tarred; this is unprecedented,” an optimistic Joe Tee told the Evening Mail
He disclosed that he picked his forms last week Wednesday and the campaign is going on well.
“I am the first in the NPP to have won the seat, so everybody is happy and they are going to vote for me to go and win it again. And trust me, I shall maintain the seat,” he said.
