Ghana elections: Some political heavyweights fall

On Dec 8, 2008

Election 2008 is producing mixed fortunes for the two major political parties. Heavy weights are tumbling.

Uncertified results as at press time Sunday night, indicated that some stalwarts of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) including Boniface Abubakar Saddique, Minister of Water; Works and Housing, and MP for Salaga, Stephen Asamoah Boateng, Minister of Information and National Orientation and MP for Mfantseman West lost their seats.

Other casualties are Sheikh I.C Quaye, Greater Accra Regional Minister and MP for Ayawaso Central, Dr. Norley Ashitey, Deputy Minster of Health and MP for Ledzokuku, Mike Ocquaye, MP for Dome Kwabenya, Hajia Alima Mahama, Minister of Women and Children’s Affairs and MP for Nalerigu and Joseph Adda, MP for Navrongo Central and former Energy Minister.

Freddie Blay, First Deputy Speaker of Parliament and CPP MP for Elembelle also lost the seat he held since the birth of the Fourth Republic to Emmanuel Kofi Buah of the NDC.

Casualties from the NDC include Dominic Azumah for Tempane who lost to the Upper East Regional Minister, Alhassan Samari, Dr. Ben Kumbuor for Lawra Nandom and Lee Ocran for Jomoro, who lost to Samia Nkrumah of the CPP.

David Apasera, PNC MP for Bolga and John Ndebugre Independent MP for Zebilla also lost to Opare Brown and Cletus Avorka of the NDC.

Among NPP MPs who retained their seats are Papa Owusu Ankoma for Sekondi and Hackman Owusu-Agyeman for New Juaben North.

While Dan Kwaku Botwe, former General Secretary of the NPP won the Okere seat, Mike Alex Hammah of the NDC who lost the Effutu seat to Samuel Owusu Adjei, Minister of Public Sector Reforms in 2004, managed to wrestle it back from the latter.

Those on the NDC side who retained their seats include E.T Mensah for Ningo Prampram, Akua Sena Dansua for North Dayi, Doe Adjaho for Ave-Avenor, Joe Gidisu, for Central Tongu, Charles Hodogbe for North Tongu, Alfred Agbesi for Ashaiman and Muntaka Mohammed Mubarak for Asawase.

Haruna Iddrisu and Abubakari Sumani, NDC MPs for Tamale South and Tamale North respectively retained their seats.

Both Odododiodio MP, Nii Tackie Kommey and Kuinbungu MP, Alhaji Yakubu Imoro retained their seats and so did NPP’s John Dinam for Zabzugu Tatale.

Source: The Ghanaian Times