The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Parliamentary Candidate for the Akwatia Constituency, Bernard Bediako Baidoo, has officially filed his nomination at the Electoral Commission’s office to contest the upcoming Akwatia by-election scheduled for September 2.
Lawyer Baidoo expressed confidence in the NDC’s chances of reclaiming the seat from the New Patriotic Party (NPP), emphasizing the unity and preparedness of the party going into the polls.
“We are very confident that on September 2, we will emerge victorious. What you are seeing here today directly contradicts the notion that the NDC is disunited or fragmented. The very gentlemen I contested against in the primaries are standing firmly behind me. That demonstrates the united front we’re presenting as we head into this crucial election,” he stated.
He urged constituents to rally behind the NDC and emphasized the party’s readiness to serve the people of Akwatia.
“We have forged ahead, and we believe that as we move out to engage the elec torate, they will vote for the NDC.”
Mr Baidoo justified why he should be the preferred candidate, citing development promises made by President John Dramani Mahama.
“President Mahama made specific promises to the people of Akwatiaman. To fulfill those promises, he needs a trusted representative in Parliament. He has three years to govern if re-elected, and Akwatia deserves its fair share of the national cake. We have already seen progress, like the near-completion of connecting GCD to the national grid. That was a promise made by President Mahama , and it would soon be fulfilled. This is just the beginning of greater things for Akwatia,” he assured.
He added, “We pray to get the nod to intervene and ensure that Akwatia gets its fair share of national development.”
Mr Baidoo’s candidacy has received support from his former contenders in the just-ended NDC parliamentary primaries.
They have pledged their unwavering support and urged their followers to rally behind the party’s candidate.
Former NDC Member of Parliament for Akwatia (2020), Henry Yiadom Boakye, stated in a media interview.
“I conceded defeat even before the Electoral Commission officially declared Lawyer Baidoo as the elected candidate. He and his team approached me, and we ‘ve had fruitful discussions as a family. At the end of the day, the NDC is what we are all working for, the party is bigger than any individual.”
Another former aspirant, Erasmus Koney Ali, echoed the importance of unity going into the by-election
“A united front is the most important thing. At the vetting stage, we all agreed that whoever wins would have our full support. We must all rally behind Lawyer Baidoo. We already have the majority in Parliament. If the NPP wins, they won’t be able to effectively develop the area. But with President Mahama leading the country, we can guarantee development through our elected representative.”
The Akwatia by-election has been necessitated by the untimely death of sitting NPP MP, Ernest Yaw Kumi.
The NPP is also expected to file nominations form along with a third political party, making the race a competitive one.
There had been speculation that the NDC might withdraw from the Akwatia contest, as the NPP did in the case of the Tamale Central by-election, following the passing of the Minister for Science and Environment, Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed.
However, the NDC has confirmed its full participation in the Akwatia by-election.
In the 2024 general elections, the late MP Ernest Yaw Kumi won the seat with 19,269 votes, defeating the NDC’s Henry Yiadom Boakye, who polled 17,206 votes. The NDC later disputed those results in court.
As the by-election approaches, all eyes will be on Akwatia, a mining populace with peri urban development.
Source:lovinghananews.com
