The newly elected New Patriotic Party parliamentary aspirant for Kwasimintim in the Western Region, Joe Mensah, has pledged to work with Joe Baidoo-Ansah and his supporters to win this year’s elections for party in the constituency.
In a closely contested primary Tuesday, Joe Mensah polled 187 votes to beat the Mr Baidoo-Ansah who is the current MP. He secured 122 in the primary, which was delayed for over a year due to a legal tussle.
“We shall work hard to win the seat. Those who supported the incumbent should come and join us to work for the constituency to win the seat,” Mr Mensah said on Onua FM’s Ghana Dadwene Tuesday.
He said the constituency, though a stronghold of the NPP, has been tumbling due to the non-performance of the Mr Baidoo-Ansah, hence the party has to work hard in the December 7 elections to retain the seat.
“We already have our plans and I will retain the seat for the NPP. We are not going to sleep,” he assured his constituents, adding “they want me to help them because the constituency is sinking even though it is our strong hold”.
The primary was to have taken place some 16 months ago but Mr Mensah sued the party after the Constituency Vetting Committee disqualified him from contesting.
Last Friday, the court cleared him to contest in the Tuesday’s primary.
There were claims that the NPP National Campaign Manager, Peter Mac had sent out text messages to delegates to influence them to vote for the incumbent MP in the primary.
But Mr Mensah has shrugged off the claims saying, “I know Mac Manu did not send the message. It is one of the diabolic tactics by some people to discredit the elections.
“Some allegations came earlier that I have been given money by the NDC. They brought a letter on the letterhead of the NDC signed by Koku Anyidoho and all were lies. I don’t believe that Mac Manu sent that text message,” he said.
By Kweku Antwi-Otoo|Onua 95.1FM|3news.com|Ghana
