The New Patriotic Party (NPP) will go to the polls to elect parliamentary candidates in constituencies with sitting Members of Parliament (MPs) in April this year.
As usual, a number of aspirants have declared their intention to battle it out for tickets to lead the party into the 2020 parliamentary election.
On the other hand, the incumbent MPs are lacing their boots to face whoever comes their way, making the upcoming parliamentary primaries tricky.
In the Eastern Region, one parliamentary slot that is expected to be fiercely fought for is the New Juaben South which is currently being occupied by Dr Mark Assibey-Yeboah, the Chairman of the Finance Committee of Parliament.
The contest
Dr Assibey-Yeboah is expected to be challenged by the Executive Secretary of the Ghana Free Zones Board, Mr Michael Okyere Baafi.
Mr Baafi lost his bid to enter Parliament on the ticket of the New Juaben South Constituency four years ago after he was defeated by Dr Assibey-Yeboah at the primaries.
However, ahead of this year’s primaries, Mr Baafi and his staunch supporters are optimistic that his second coming will be the waterloo of the incumbent MP.
Riding on the back of the catch phrase "The heavens will speak", there is confidence in the camp of Mr Baafi that this time around, the opportunity to get him elected as the parliamentary candidate will not elude him.
The vociferous supporters demonstrated their resolve to annex the parliamentary slot during a recent visit by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to the Eastern Region.
With rapturous voices, they cheered Mr Baafi when he was introduced during a courtesy call by the President on the Paramount Chief of the New Juaben Traditional Area, Daasebre Prof. (Emeritus) Nana Oti Boateng.
One of the kingpins in Mr Baafi’s camp, Mr George Atta Kojo Bekoe, stressed that: "This time around we are not going to take chances at all. We have identified why we lost the last time and corrected our mistakes. We are winning."
No shaking
However, followers of Dr Assibey-Yeboah have described the expected contest as a foregone conclusion in favour of their candidate.
According to them, this year’s primaries was going to be a “cool chop” judging from the fact that their candidate was better placed for a landslide victory. The high hopes in the MP’s camp is further motivated by the claim that he is better prepared this time around, unlike the last primaries where the odds were against him, yet he won.
"We do not make ugly noises. We are solidly on the ground working and the day of the primaries will decide," Mr Samuel Boateng, one of the staunch supporters of Dr Assibey-Yeboah, told the Daily Graphic in Koforidua.
Looking at the confidence levels in both camps, it will be difficult to predict who is going to carry the day.
Profiles
Dr Mark Assibey-Yeboah has been a Member of Parliament since 2013.
Apart from being the chairman of the Finance Committee of Parliament, he also doubles as the chairman of Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs committee.
On the other hand, Mr Baafi is a businessman with over 15 years working experience and has vast experience in Strategic Marketing, Corporate Decision- Making and Customer Relationship.
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