Agyarko ‘Candidates’ Kicked Out
The perception of invincibility surrounding the former Energy Minister, Mr. Boakye Agyarko, and his supposed total grip on the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Krobo Constituencies of the Eastern Region was on Saturday, 28th September, 2018, given a mortal blow when party delegates rejected all aspirants perceived to be his ‘preferred’ candidates at the just-ended parliamentary primaries held at Odumase-Krobo and Somanya.
The NPP ‘King Kong’ of Krobo, who arrogated unto himself the position of coordinator of the party’s Krobo Bloc, suffered a double jeopardy in both the Lower Manya and Yilo Krobo constituencies, bringing into serious doubt his supposed grip on the party in Kroboland.
What was supposed to have been a peaceful contest at the Odumasi Laasii Park, for instance, was marred when Boakye openly engaged some delegates in heated verbal exchanges and a near brawl that many described as an eyesore and unbefitting.
Chaos started as Agyarko was seen going round the voting area telling delegates not to vote for the deputy eastern regional Minister, Samuel Nuertey Ayertey. The development provoked some delegates, who confronted him with unreserved venom.
In fact, there was so much pandemonium that voting was temporarily put on hold, and it took some personalities, including the Eastern regional Minister, Hon. Eric Kwakye Darfour, and security personnel to bring the situation under control. The embattled former energy minister had to be whisked away from the venue, and could not return until proceedings ended.
When voting results were finally announced by Mr. Essilfie Young of the Electoral Commission, Deputy Eastern Regional Minister, Samuel Nuertey Ayertey (aka Teddy Braino) defeated his only opponent, Ms. Linda Korkortsu Adadevor, who was seen as Mr. Agyarko’s preferred candidate.
Out of the 662 delegates that cast their votes, Teddy polled 343 (representing 51.8%) to beat Linda, who polled 319 votes (48.1%). There was one rejected ballot.
At the Yilo Krobo Constituency, Francis Djetse Apertey also defied the odds against the moneybags, and polled 353 votes to defeat Eric Tetteh, who polled 341 votes.
Saturday’s verdicts have since been described by political observers as a unanimous rejection of Boakye Agyarko at the grassroots level of the party in Krobo.
For instance in Lower Manya Krobo, the main campaign message of Team Linda was that every patriotic Krobo should have turned down an appointment offered by President Akufo-Addo because he had fired Agyarko from his cabinet. In fact all through their campaign, Boakye Agyarko’s dismissal featured so prominently that they demonized Mr. Ayertey for not showing solidarity with Boakye.
Teddy’s alleged ‘crime’, in the eyes of his opponents, was that his car radio was heard playing Yaa Pono’s popular hit song, ‘Obiaa Wo Ne Master’, on Monday August 6, 2018, the day Agyarko was fired.
Delegates who spoke to THE NEW PUBLISHER after the primary elections said they voted for Samuel Ayertey because they wanted to show their appreciation to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for appointing him to the high office.
Others said they switched to Ayertey’s camp after they had noticed an unfair gang-up by the makers and shakers of the party (including leading appointees at the Municipal Assembly), who pulled resources together against the deputy minister.
In attendance to witness the historic events were regional executives of the party, namely: Chairman, Kingston Akomeng Kissi, Organiser, Kwame Koduah, Deputy Secretary, Yaw Papin and a deputy Nasara Coordinator.
Jubilation after the results of the Odumase and Somanya primaries were declared continued deep into the night.
Your authoritative NEW PUBLISHER will, in subsequent editions, come out with plots hatched as far back as 2018 to scuttle the president’s efforts in Kroboland, and how a ‘demolition squad’ was sponsored from the Municipality to go and confront Hon. Dan Kweku Botwe, Minister of Regional Reorganisation and Development, over Akufo-Addo’s nomination of Samuel Ayertey as deputy minister.
– MORE SOON –
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