Kpodo tipped to win Ho Central NDC primaries

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) is lacing its boots for the 2020 general elections, with the election of Parliamentary Candidates (PC), slated for Saturday, August 24th.

Arrangements for the NDC’s internal contest is almost at fever-pitch with many wishing it passes quickly to set the stage for the 2020 elections, which will be contested largely on track records and fulfillment of campaign promises.

Ho is the capital of the Volta Region. The constituency is designated Ho-Central, conterminous to the local governing confines of the Ho Municipal Area.

The voter-population is huge, and indeed a storehouse of NDC votes and therefore a prime constituency of the Party.

Inside there, Ho-Central Constituency is the battle of battles.

It will be a long day for delegates, party enthusiasts, journalists and political watchers, that day, when over 1,500 delegates are expected to elect one out of six aspirants, including; the incumbent, Mr Benjamin Kpodo to represent the NDC for the main contest in 2020.

The five aspirants seeking to snatch the Party’s ticket from Mr Kpodo are; Eric Bene, Stanley Nelvis Glate, Edem Kpotosu, Emmanuel Kafui Dzamefe and Mr Gordon Akpadie.

As a self-acclaimed quasi Astrologer in the Volta Regional capital, my observation in an innovative probability analysis is that Mr Kpodo is likely to record a landslide victory, but can’t get “all the votes”, -his song, to represent the Party for the third time.

It appears his efforts at fixing some roads in the Constituency, construction of classroom blocks, health facilities, extension of electricity to rural areas, water supply among others have endeared him to many.

Some delegates say, though they expected more from the Ho MP, those contesting him are not his match and that he is the only person likely to harvest enough votes for the Party’s presidential candidate.

Mr Eric Bene, the immediate past Presiding Member of the Ho Municipal Assembly, resigned his position as the Deputy Constituency Secretary to contest the Parliamentary primaries.

He is described by some delegates as a fine gentleman, soft-spoken and affable, but viewed as “too slow,” without vim. Mr Bene, is seen as a future MP, who needs to be groomed and mentored, but not for 2020.

Mr Stanley Glate, without doubt, is Mr Kpodo’s greatest challenger. He is a lecturer at the Ho Technical University and the Party’s Constituency Secretary who resigned and moving from pillar to post to represent the NDC.
Mr Glate is liked by young people in the Party, due to his youthful dynamism, but described by some Party loyalists, as not mature for the position.

He doesn’t appeal to delegates who are a bit older-35 years and above, and has to mend broken bridges to give Mr Kpodo a good run.

Mr Edem Kpotosu, is a staff of the Ghana Education Service and a branch executive of the Party at Sokode.

He is said to be helpful and liked by many for his communication skills but appears not well known in the Party.

Indications are that, the unassuming Kpotosu, could pull a surprise and live up to the tag, “slow but sure.” A surprise of good results, but not that which can win him the slot.

Another major contender is Mr Emmanuel Kafui Dzamefe. He is the branch Chairman of Lume, his hometown.

Mr Dzamefe, arguably, is a household name in the Constituency. He is known quite well in the Party and admired for his organisational and communication skills. However, Mr Dzamefe is from the Norvisi zone, where the incumbent MP is from.

With a trump card of being a likeable personality, he is gaining some grounds and could sway delegates to cause a stir for a surprise of the year.
Mr Gordon Akpadie, is a former branch executive of the Ho-zone, NDC. He contested the Party’s Regional Secretary Position in 2009 and lost and considered by some party enthusiasts as being 'on and off’ in the Party.

Mr Akpadie, a lawyer, is loved for his kindness to individual party members and known for dragging the Ho Municipal Assembly to court over the allocation of market stores by the then Municipal Chief Executive and Party member Fafa Adinyira.

The court case appeared to have made him somewhat unpopular, but remains in the good books of many, though unlikely to translate into votes.

Delegates, as usual, are determining the rule of the game - who to meet and at what time, with fatigue gradually settling in, leaving some aspirants disappointed.

A good number of aspirants are enjoying choruses of support and promises of delegates, but not oblivious of the popular saying, “fear delegates” for which reason some have engaged strategists to get to the hearts and minds of delegates.

Checks indicate they (delegates) are on cloud nine, enjoying every moment of the period, as aspirants come in one after the other, with goodies from farm implements, fertilizers to cash, among others.

GNA also picked information that some aspirants are likely to camp delegates hours to the election to be assured of their votes.

One good thing perhaps is the peaceful nature in which the campaigns are being organised and one is hopeful that will run into the polls and declaration of results for a more peaceful Ho Central, before, during and after the NDC primaries.