Odododiodio NDC Race Hots Up, Ex-Amasaman MP Leads

Latest development from the Odododiodioo constituency of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Greater Accra Region indicates that the former Member of Parliament (MP) for Amasaman, Emmanuel Nii Okai Laryea ,is in the lead, ahead of the party’s parliamentary primaries slated for Saturday, May 13, 2023.

Out of about five aspirants vying for the seat, including the incumbent MP, Edwin Nii Lante Vanderpuye, the former MP for Amasaman is said to have been causing a serious stirand giving his senior brother Vanderpuye, a good run for his money in the last few weeks.

According to The Anchor’s information, the sitting MP, who was initially tipped to have a straight contest without any sweat, is losing grip after he reportedly fell out with some executives and delegates considered to be very influential in the constituency.

Mr. Okai Laryea, even though supposedly joined the race late, his candidature is said to be receiving massive support from chunks of the delegates in a total of 251 branches, including the grassroots, following some internal wrangling within the leadership of the party.

The former MP, who is waging his campaign with the slogan “Shiats3, Mokohoo” in the Ga language – which means “landlord, road closed”, is believed to have captured the incumbent MP’s strongholds, like the Korle Worko and Zongo Lane areas, as well as CowLane, where Mr. Vanderpuye was once an assembly member.

Other areas such as James Town, Kinka and Mlitsa, which are considered to be strongholds of the former lawmaker, have however remain safe for him.

The former MP in photo with a section of his supporters

Until his relocation, Mr. Okai Laryea was a member of the Sixth and Seventh Parliament of the Fourth Republic of Ghana, having served two terms from 2013 to 2020, until he lost the seat during primaries.

Insiders have told The Anchor, the issue of disunity and factionalism, among others, which are affecting the MP’s chances, is tearing the party apart, amid accusations and counter-accusations.

It is however not unclear, what the main issues fueling the wrangling in the constituency are.

But the MP, in a statement, issued on Monday, February 6, 2023, called for a ceasefire for the ongoing counter-accusations and threats, because the party needs a united front to wrest power from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) which, he said, is their common enemy.

“As a party, our common enemy is the super incompetent and clueless NPP, and we need to come together as people united than before to wrestle power from them. The counter-accusations and threats ought to cease for us all to focus on the bigger picture. We need a stronger party to retain our seat and therefore cannot break our front with needless and petty internal squabbles,” he stated.

This was after Mr. Okai Laryea, who is also a co-opted Greater Accra NDC executive, paid a visit to the office of the MP to make his intentions of contesting the primaries known.

In a statement issued after the visit, the Odododiodioo legislator indicated that, leading his constituents is not an easy job, and therefore anyone who chooses to contest for the seat must implement a lot of strategies.

Ex-Amasaman MP (wearing dark glass) in group photo with other aspirants

“The MP wishes to state that the task of leading Odododiodioo is a herculean one and a lot of tact and strategy will be expected of anyone who is the Parliamentary Candidate. Let’s therefore gird our loins and work hard in unity for the good and betterment of our beloved constituency and eschew parochialism and divisive tendencies,” he noted.

He added in the statement that “it is instructive to state that Nii Laryea is the second person after Michael Nii Yarboi Annan (The Don) to have personally called on him to express such intentions to contest when the MP eventually decides to hang his political boots in Odododiodioo at the end this term or in the future.”

“By this release, the MP wishes to express his utmost appreciation to both personalities for the respect accorded him as the sitting MP and to inform him of their intentions,” he stated.

Nii Lante Vanderpuye said he will soon make his intentions known as to whether he will contest again or not.

“The office of the Member of Parliament wishes to state the decision of Hon. Edwin Nii Lante Vanderpuye whether or not to seek another term will be made soon and same communicated after the necessary consultations have been concluded.

He certainly will not take the mandate of constituents for granted and will continue to work in the supreme interest of the constituency in and out of Parliament. It is the good people of Odododiodioo who ultimately decide who leads them and therefore call for calmness to prevail. Constituents are implored to be circumspect in what we put out there,” the statement concluded.

More To Come…

Source: Anchorghana.com