A defeated parliamentary aspirant in the just-ended primary of the opposition National Democratic Congress in the Suhum Constituency of the Eastern Region, Otuo Kofi Adjei has threatened to contest as Independent Candidate in the 2024 general elections.
According to Otuo Adjei, who was tipped to win the parliamentary race, but was allegedly robbed with an overvoting of 7 ballots, he will explore all other possible alternatives means to ensure that his name appears on the EC’s ballot paper before 7th December 2024 to win the Suhum Constituency seat from the ruling New Patriotic Party, NPP.
The unhappy Suhum Burger has accused the Eastern Regional and Suhum Constituency Executives of the party for masterminding his defeat, hence giving them a one-month ultimatum to address the issue or he seeks further redress.
In the just end primaries, the aggressive larliamentary aspirant failed to accept the Electoral Commission’s declaration of his closest contender Prince Kwadwo Addo as the winner of the primary since he alleged the elections were rigged on behalf of the winner.
The new parliamentary candidate, Prince Kwadwo Tabiri Addo managed to score 518 votes by beating, Otuo Kofi Adjei who had 510 with 8 votes difference.
The other candidates in the person of Samuel Bruce, Nyarko – 221, Yermoh Richard – 93 and James Batsa Ofoe – 15 votes respectively.
After the results were declared, there were rumours that there was an overvoting of 100 votes, which was placed in the ballot box on the blind side of Otuo Adjei, but later it turn out to be that the over-voting was 8 ballots.
Otuo Adjei on Thursday together with hundreds of his supporters, besieged the Constituency Party office, Amponsah Market, Suhum to address the media for being cheated during the primary but was denied by some Constituency Executives to engage the media at the party’s office.
After back and forth, Otuo Kofi Adjei said the concerns that he raised before, during and after the election have not been addressed hence he believes it was a deliberate attempt by the constituency and some regional executives to sideline him from the party.
According to him “I have evidence where the constituency Secretary and the Regional Executives had a conversation which indicates that Chairman Richard Afasi allowed certain individuals to vote twice and also allowed people who don’t qualify to vote, we are not here to put the party to shame rather we are here to say the truth”.
He stated emphatically that “I promise you that on the 7th of December, 2024 Otuo Kofi Adjei will win the seat from the NPP and the means to win it lies in you and our hands, you haven’t heard from me so some of you are saying Otuo is going independent Otuo is going to court but when they ask you to tell them that Otuo said 7th December 2024 the EC will announce me, Kofi, as the winner of Suhum Constituency”.
He further accused the constituency executives of using an amount of money received from the office of former President John Dramani Mahama to sponsor one aspirant instead of sharing it with the delegate as was intended.
Additionally, he gave the party’s constituency executives a one-month ultimatum to immediately address all the concerns he has raised else he will expose them with their corrupt acts and bias.
The Gyaasehene of Suhum, Nana Kofi Obeng, who is part Otuo Campaign Team also contends that the constituency party executives have not acted fairly regarding concerns raised after the elections.
Nana Kofi Obeng cautioned the constituency party executives not to take the 510 votes cast in favour of Otuo Kofi Adjei for granted.
He cries out loud that Otuo Adjei has the support of many party members in the constituency which can cause the party to lose more votes in the 2024 elections if it remains unconcerned.
– BY Daniel Bampoe