2024 Parliamentary election: Showdown ahead in ten constituencies

With the conclusion of parliamentary primaries in majority of the NPP’s orphan constituencies (where the party does not have sitting MPs), the stage is set for interesting parliamentary contests in some constituencies.

Without a shred of doubt, results from parliamentary elections in the last three cycles indicate that only the NPP and NDC have the party machinery and candidates to win seats with the dwindling fortunes of parties such as PNC and CPP who used to hold seats in Parliament in times past.

It must be noted, however, that the balance of power in Parliament currently rests on the shoulders of an Independent Candidate despite enduring duopoly of NPP and NDC, the Ghanaian electorate seems to have accepted.  With the list of candidates set for the NPP and NDC in majority of constituencies, I have curated ten constituencies where the dynamics make for interesting observation going into the 2024 election.

Ledzokuku- The residents of Teshie sure do know how not to make an MP feel comfortable. With the exception of Nii Adjei Boye Sekan who won the seat twice in 1992 and 1996, no MP has managed to retain this seat. Against this backdrop, Dr Bernard Okoe Boye, the then incumbent in 2020 made the attempt to retain the seat but the NDC’s Benjamin Ayiku ensured that this only remained a pipedream with Okoe Boye losing by 1,866 votes. With the NPP electing Dr Okoe Boye once again, the stage is primed for a rematch between the two with all the makings of an interesting political contest.

Ablekuma Central- Lartehbiorkoshie, Abossey Okai, Mataheko and its environs make up this constituency. The NPP lost this seat with a margin of 204 votes in the last election. What this suggests is that the NDC did not win the constituency comfortably and with that the NPP may be entertaining hopes of winning back the seat. These underlying factors make this constituency one to watch. The Deputy Director of Communications at the Presidency, Jefferson Sackey will hold the flag of the NPP in an attempt to take the fight to NDC’s Abdul-Latif Dan.

Klottey Korley- This seat seems to be in the safe bossom of the NDC with Dr. Zanetor Rawlings in charge, hewing greatly from the political legacy of her father, late ex-President Rawlings. But the Osu Lagata as she is popularly called, may have the most formidable opposition yet for the seat from Nii Noi Nortey.

The 2024 bid will be Zanetor’s attempt to be a third term MP. Nii Noi has always believed that he has what it takes to win this seat. When he felt aggrieved by what he called the party’s imposition of Lawyer Philip Addison of the 2012 election petition fame as the party’s candidate, he left the party and run as Independent.

In that adventure, he garnered over 3,000 votes. Backed by the NPP machinery, will the self-acclaimed “Home boy” upstage Dr Zanetor Rawlings. Klottey Korley is prime Accra playing host to surburbs such as Adabraka, Osu, Ridge and Asylum Down.  This Constituency, for whatever it’s worth, is home to the national headquarters of both the NPP and the NDC.

Okaikoi North- Election 2024 will be another opportunity for incumbent, Theresa Awuni to prove that her success at snatching the seat from the NPP with over 2,000 votes in the last election was not a fluke. This time, the NPP is fielding a woman.  Setting up an all-female contest for this seat. The NPP’s candidate, Nana Dokua Asiamah Adjei is not a newbie. Her political savvy and standing have shot up in the eyes of many for managing to abandon one seat in another region and getting the opportunity to test her mettle for this seat in another region. Its unfortunate one of these two women in Parliament will not return. What is certain is that, they will both give this their all, setting up an interesting battle for the seat on election day.

Awutu Senya West- The Incumbent, Gizella Tetteh is the second sister from the same family (Tetteh) to represent the NDC and the Constituency in Parliament.  Her Elder sister, Hannah Tetteh was the first to do it. She lost the seat to the NPP’s George Andah in the 2016 election but her younger sister, Gizella made up for her sister’s failing by beating George Andah in 2020 to restore the NDC ownership of the seat.

With the backing of the Presidency, it was not a surprise to many that the Director of Communications, Eugene Arhin eased through the primary to set up what would be an interesting battle for the seat. Even without being their representative in Parliament, Eugene Arhin through his foundation has been commissioning projects in the Constituency. This Constituency has never been boring in its electoral contest and the contest in 2024 will be no different.

Adentan- Adentan is cosmopolitan, cuts across all demographics, sophisticated and has no nonsense residents. Adentan has never retained an MP since it was carved out in 2004. The Incumbent, Adamu Ramadan is very aware of this jinx that surrounds his constituency and the fact that he comfortably won the seat with an over 14,000 vote-gap, even does not give him a sound sleep at night.

The NPP on Saturday voted for Akosua Manu, Deputy CEO at the National Youth Authority who is offering a fresh challenge to the incumbent. Akosua Manu has in her corner, Peter Mac Manu, experienced strategist and former NPP National Chairman and her father-in-law who will be putting his many years of political experience at her disposal. The Akosua Manu-Adamu Ramadan contest in Adentan is one to savour.

Akwatia- The Diamond rich city, from the Baba Jamal era has never been devoid of high-octane contests. In the last election, a dissatisfied NPP incumbent, the popular beautician and businesswoman Ama Sey, impressed with the turn of events at the primary, did not throw her support behind her successor Ernest Kumi.  With a vote margin of 1,157, Ernest Kumi lost the election to the NDC’s Henry Boakye Yiadom.

The NPP primary this term was without the controversy of the last time and if the party unites behind Ernest Kumi, there could be trouble for the NDC holding all other factors constant. Akwatia, next year may produce another keenly contested parliamentary poll. A rematch between Henry Boakye Yiadom and Ernest Kumi is set.

Bunkprugu- This constituency was created in 2012. Solomon Boar won the seat twice but lost it in 2020 to Abednego Bandim in 2020. The old foes will have a go at each other one more time next year. Could the fact that the NPP flagbearer hail from North East region add some gravitas to the candidate’s fortunes?

Tempane- Joseph Kpemka won this seat for the NPP first time in 2016 after the Constituency was created in 2012. In 2020, the passing of the NDC candidate before the 2020 elections may have aided the party in snatching the seat. The NDC presented the wife of the deceased candidate, Former MP, David Adakudugu as the candidate. Lydia Akanvariba, the widow, did the trick beating Joseph Kpemka. The two candidates will slug it out again at the polls next year.

Asawase- The NPP has strategized and aimed for this seat for God knows how long but like the cat with nine lives, the NDC’s Muntaka Mubarak always finds a way to beat off competition for the seat in the heart of Ashanti-the NPPs stronghold. 2024 will be another opportunity for the NPP to annex this seat.

A young man who was denied the opportunity the last time out, Manaf Ibrahim won the NPP primary comfortably. Muntaka Mubarak, who is no longer in parliamentary leadership had his own struggles during the NDC primaries. The happenings in Asawase NDC gave the impression of a party with a disunited front. With all the issues on the table, Asawase will not be business as usual.