NDC Gives Up On Atiwa Seat?

The ruling National Democratic Congress will agree with pollster, Ben Ephson that the up-coming by-election in the Atiwa constituency is a done deal for the opposition New Patriotic Party.

Mr Ephson, who also is the Editor of the Daily Dispatch newspaper, has said earlier that the constituency is one of the 185 constituencies in the country considered as safe seats for either the NPP or the NDC, adding that results from such constituencies cannot be used as a fair measure of performance of a party in power.

Corroborating Mr Ephson’s assertions, aide to former president Jerry John Rawlings and NDC Deputy General Secretary, Kofi Adams told XFM, an Accra based private radio station, the NDC is not going to win the by-elections hands down. He says even though the NPP has won the seat since 1996, it has done very little in terms of development for the constituency.

According to him, the party is therefore going to present its developmental projects and agenda to the constituents, adding that, if the people buy into it, the NDC can win the elections.

The seat became vacant following the death of the NPP Member of Parliament for the area, Kwasi Annor Ankamah in June this year after a protracted illness.

Meanwhile, the Electoral Commission says all is set for the by-election in the Atiwa constituency. According to the EC, the only thing left in its preparations is the printing of the ballot papers which will be completed today.

Source: Robert Israel, Xfm 95.1, Accra, Ghana