Accra, June 19, GNA - Mrs Esther Abbey, former Constituency Women’s Organizer for the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) in Tema East, has waded into the ongoing debate on who should run on the 2020 Parliamentary ticket of the NDC for Tema East.
According to her, the NDC had a clear choice in immediate past Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE) for Tema, Isaac Ashai Odamtten.
“For me, the choice is rather too obvious for us; Mr Isaac Odamtten is the man who has a lot of appeal and would not need too much marketing to sell him to voters because he is already well marketed,” Madam Abbey said.
In a statement copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra, she pointed out that Mr Odamtten would run on his own track record, having been one of the most resourceful MCEs of all times in the history of the Tema Metropolitan Assembly.
“The track record is there and everybody knows that; roads, schools, electricity and rehabilitation of many of our infrastructure in Tema here are his achievements; we can easily sell him with these achievements,” Madam Abbey said.
Mr Odamtten has been tipped as a leading contender for the 2020 Parliamentary ticket of the NDC for Tema East.
The former MCE is however likely to face stiff opposition from his predecessor at the TMA, Kempes Ofosuware.
However, Kempes is perceived by many as a spent political force, having run on the Parliamentary ticket there thrice and lost on all occasions.
“Many people believe that Kempes has had his opportunity and it was time for someone else to also have the opportunity and I totally agree with that. If you have run thrice and in all of these times you have lost, then it tells you that your luck may be lying elsewhere, so I will urge Kempes to run for MP somewhere else.”
Madam Esther Abbey also dismissed incursions that Lord Hamah, an upstart has been making after he declared intent to run against Kempes and Odamtten for the 2020 ticket.
“As for Lord Hamah, I don’t think that anybody takes him seriously; there is no way anybody would risk our 2020 chances with such an inexperienced person; because this time we want to win the seat,” she said.
Esther Abbey dismissed concerns by Lord Hamah that a corruption allegation that the NPP Government has made against Odamtten would be sprung on him if the party elects the immediate past Tema MCE.
According to the allegation, Odamtten superintended the embezzlement of some ghc5.6million of the Assembly’s money, while he was MCE. “That allegation is a complete fabrication, everybody knows that. I do not think the NPP are inexperienced enough to want to push that legless allegation,” Esther Abbey said.
She warned Lord Hamah to desist from using that charge as a campaign message against Odamtten because if he continued and Odamtten was eventually elected, he would have contributed to denigrating their best candidate for the seat.
Madam Abbey praised the resourcefulness of Mr Odamtten, who was in the US undertaking a school course saying that even though he was not in the country, anytime there was a need for contribution towards any project, he sent money down.
“This is why most of our constituents like him, apart from the fact that he has a good track record, he also helps when party members are in need. Even when people have funerals, he sends down contributions.”
According to her, Odamtten, who bequeathed the Presidency of the National Association of Local Authorities of Ghana (NALAG) to the current MCE, Felix Mensah Nii Annang-La, would easily overshadow the current NPP MP for Tema East, Daniel Nii Kwartei Titus Glover, if he was presented as the NDC’s candidate.
Mr Gilbert Ibrahim, a leader and a leading member of the NDC in Tema said “Isaac Ashai Odamtten is the best for Tema East because of his track record of success in politics, academia and business.”
GNA
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