Efigya Sekyere Elections-NPP hopeful of victory

from the Ghanaian Independent

The Efigya Sekyere parliamentary election which is slated for June 20, is very significant for both the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the mainstream opposition - the New Patriotic Party.

A win for the NDC, will enable the party command an absolute two-thirds majority at the legislature - a desire which the party is yearning for. The NPP on the other hand is bent on spoiling the NDC party by snatching the lone seat, which was occupied by an NDC man - Commander Griffiths in the first parliament of the 4th Republic because the NPP and other opposition parties boycotted it.

Aside this, the NPP which is an offshoot of the UP tradition has a sacrilegious tradition to protect, hence its dire desire to maintain the status quo. The 1969 and 79 elections were all won by parties which ascribed to the UP belief - Dr. Kofi Abrefa Busia's Progress Party (PP) and Mr. Victor Owusu's Popular Front Party

In both instances these parties won the Presidential and parliamentary elections. And in the 1996 elections, the NPP Presidential candidate Mr. J.A. Kufuor made a mince meat of the NDC candidate President Rawlings. Aware of the strength of the NPP in the area, and the implications of loss to the party, NDC stalwarts led by the Vice-President Professor Atta-Mills thronged the constituency to break the NPP hold of the area last weekend. Other member of the powered delegation were, Mr. Kofi Totobi Quakye outgoing Minister of Information, Mrs. Christine Amoako Nuamah, Minister of Education and Mr. Kwame Peprah, Minister of Finance & Economic Planning.

As usual with the NDC it is out to play to its game-dolling out money which helped to tilt the scale in its favour in the Northern Regions. The NDC gave out ¢5000 and ¢2000 to people who attended the party's rally. But many constituents who The Independent talked to on the elections said, the NDC will probably be in a election of their lives.

They accused the incumbent MP, Commander Griffiths of alienating himself from the people of the Constituency, thus being blacked-out in development. They see the last minute effort to revisit some abandoned project as political gimmick. Wiamoase, which is the largest ward in the constituency is the hometown of NPP Candidate Akomash Kyeremanteng, and the people contended that he is really adored as a home boy.

However, the NDC candidate Commander Griffiths is likely to control the Zongo Community- Jamasi and Betoa, although with some difficulty. The people are crying against Commander Griffiths for neglect.

The NPP aware of NDC might and political trickery is also squaring up for the NDC games. Mr. J.A Kufuor, the NPP 1996, flagbearer is to spend the rest of the two weeks to June 10, at the Constituency to campaign for his candidate.