Effutu NDC divided over ex-NPP man as parliamentary candidate

Confusion is erupting in the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Effutu Constituency in the Central Region as some members have petitioned leadership of the party to pursue former New Patriotic Party member, Dr. James Kofi Annan, to lead the party as Member of Parliament.

According to the petitioners, Dr. Annan has high potentials in bringing development to the constituency.

Leader of the group, Richmond Dzanoukoe noted the NDC can only win the Effutu parliamentary seat if Dr. James Kofi Annan leads the party.

“The problem the NDC in Effutu is facing is that the constituency does not have any clear marketable person capable of annexing the seat for the party.

“We wish to petition your office to ask you to approach Dr James Kofi Annan of ‘Winneba is King’ movement to lead the NDC party in Effutu constituency for the 2020 parliamentary elections”.

Dr James Kofi Annan went independent and formed the ‘Winneba is King’ Movement in January 2019, after defecting from the NPP.

The petitioners say the former NPP party member was committed to numerous developmental projects in the constituency, including training a number of individuals in vocational skills and also gave scholarships to several of them into secondary and tertiary institutions

A visit to the NDC party office in the constituency to seek reaction to the concerns revealed that the business man is not a member of the party and has not engaged the party executives on any such matter.

The constituency secretary, Abraham Arthur, said: “He is not a member of the party. He has not tendered any document either verbal or written to join the NDC”.

Reacting to questions as to whether he has intentions to join the NDC, Dr. James Kofi Annan said he wants to be the voice of the people in Parliament but not necessarily on the ticket of NDC or NPP.

“I want to be the voice of the people in the Effutu Constituency. I can only achieve this dream when the people vote me to be their Member of Parliament. I have done a lot for them as an individual and I am willing to continue.”

The parliamentary primaries in Effutu and some other constituencies in the Central Region were put on hold due to some grievances.