Independent candidate wins Asante-Bekwai seat

Bekwai (Ash), Dec 8, GNA - Mr Joe Osei-Owusu, the Independent Parliamentary Candidate polled 34,700 votes to unseat the incumbent NPP, Mr Ignatius Kofi Poku Adusei who had 8,560 votes in the parliamentary elections for the Asante-Bekwai Constituency.

The Bekwai Constituency was considered as one of the flashpoints following series of clashes between the supporters of the independent candidate and the NPP candidate.

Mr Osei-Owusu lost by one vote to Mr Poku Adusei after he garnered 69 votes as against 70 by the latter in the Bekwai NPP primary, a situation which sparked wide spread controversy and series of confrontations among their supporters.

Political analysts had projected a keen contest between the two candidates and it was no wonder that the area was one of the closely monitored constituencies in this year's elections. As the results of the voting trickled in, supporters of Mr Osei-Owusu, popularly known as 'Joe Wise', who were joyous, besieged some principal streets in the constituency and chanted songs amidst brass band music.

"I am overwhelmed with joy and do not know what to do at this moment," an elated Campaign Team Manager of the newly-elected MP, Mr Patrick Adu-Gyamfi told the Ghana News Agency at Bekwai. He thanked God for the victory and commended the numerous supporters for not letting Mr Osei-Owusu down.

Mr Adu-Gyamfi attributed their massive victory to the comprehensive and good campaign messages delivered by the independent candidate during his campaign tour, stressing that the newly-elected MP would deliver on his promises now that he had been given the nod. Meanwhile, the Bekwai Constituency was calm with people going about their normal activities at the time of filing this report.