OKUDZETU HEADS TO PARLIAMENT FOR THE SECOND TIME

Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa

Incumbent Member of Parliament for the North Tongu Constituency in the Volta Region, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has won the party’s primary overwhelming to lead the constituency in the 2016 election. The election was suspended after an aspirant, Christopher Kofi Eleblu, who was disqualified by the NDC National Petition Review Committee on October 14, on grounds that he was once prosecuted for defrauding the State to the tune of GHc646, 000.00 filed an injunction to stop the election but his suit was thrown out by the court paving the way for voting yesterday.

Although initial reports suggested that the voting which took place on a Sunday witnessed a low voter turnout, the incumbent MP managed to poll 9,855 representing 84.45% of the total votes cast while former Member of Parliament Mr. Charles Hodogbe, had 849 votes representing 7.28% of the vote and 778 representing 6.67% went to the third contender, Bennert Appleh.

Incumbent Member of Parliament for the North Tongu Constituency in the Volta Region, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has won the party’s primary convincingly to lead the constituency in the 2016 election. Although initial reports had suggested that the voting which took place on a Sunday witnessed a low voter turnout, the incumbent MP managed to poll 9,855 representing 84.45% of the total votes cast. Mr. Charles Hodogbe, a two-term former Member of Parliament who made a return, polled a meager 849 votes representing 7.28% of the vote, whiles the third contender, Bennert Appleh, a businessman, managed 778 of the votes representing 6.67%.

There were 187 rejected votes representing 1.6%. The total votes cast stood at 11, 482. The constituency has a registered voter population of 17,070, who cast their ballot at 109 polling centres. The election in North Tongu was rescheduled from November, after an aspirant, Christopher Kofi Eleblu, who was disqualified by the NDC National Petition Review Committee on October 14, on grounds that he was once prosecuted for defrauding the State to the tune of GH¢646, 000.00, filed an injunction to stop the election. However his suit was thrown out by the court paving the way for the poll.

Suggestions were that, the disqualified Mr. Eleblu, was the Deputy Education Minister’s fiercest contender, and that he may have played a role in getting him disqualified, a claim he has denied. Mr. Ablakwa had in the previous primary beaten six people to win the bid including Mr. Eleblu who gave him a stiff competition. Mr. Ablakwa thanked his constituents including opinion leaders who supported his bid and promised more development projects in the years ahead. North Tongu is a safe seat for the NDC, and so one can say that barring any unforeseen circumstances, Mr. Ablakwa is head for Parliament in 2016.

 Other primaries 

There are still two outstanding primaries in Ketu South and Nkwanta South, which are also on hold due to disagreements spearheaded by disqualified aspirants. The Volta Regional Chairman of the NDC Mr. Kwadwo Gyapong told Citi News in an earlier interview that the two remaining primaries will come off as soon as all legal issues are cleared.

CREDIT: CITIFMONLINE