
Assibey-Yeboah (left) and Baafi (right). Inset: MCE for New Juabeng
The municipal chief executive (MCE) of New Juabeng South, Appaw Gyasi Ike, has called for cool heads in the area ahead of the NPP’s parliamentary primaries slated for April 25.
The MCE noted that the party has that seat to protect and therefore should not let the upcoming primaries disintegrate it front.
Speaking to the Evening Mail, Mr Appaw Gyasi said what will transpire before and during the primaries could have consequences on the party, going into the general election.
“We have the party to protect, we have this seat to maintain and we have a mandate to deliver a resounding victory for Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo this year. This is why we need to conduct ourselves well in this primaries,” he stated.
Assibey verses Baafi
The New Juabeng South primaries is among those in the Eastern Region which are expected to be fiercely fought. There has already been series of allegations and counter allegations among supporters of the two main contenders.
The seat is currently occupied by, chairman of parliament’s finance committee.

He is being challenged by the executive secretary of the Ghana Free Zones Board, Michael Okyere Baafi.
Mr Baafi lost his bid to enter Parliament on the ticket of the NPP four years ago when he was defeated by Dr Assibey-Yeboah in the primaries.
Mr Baafi and his supporters have expressed optimism that, for his second coming, he will annex the slot.

With “The heavens will speak” as their catch phrase, Team MOB, as Mr Baafi’s campaign team calls itself, has confidently stated: “This time around, we are not going to take chances at all. We have identified why we lost the last time and corrected our mistakes. We are winning.”

On the hand, supporters of Dr Assibey-Yeboah have described the expected contest as a foregone conclusion in favour of their candidate. Also building their hopes in their catch phrase “No shaking”, they maintain that this year’s primaries is going to be a “cool chop”, judging from the fact that their candidate “is better placed for a landslide victory”.

The high hopes in the MP’s camp is further motivated by the claim that he is better prepared this time around, unlike the last primaries where the odds were against him.