By Nicholas Osei-Wusu
An Independent Candidate for the upcoming Kumawu parliamentary by-election, Kwaku Duah, has expressed optimism about winning the election to replace the late Member of Parliament for the area, Philip Basoah. He said his conviction is borne out of the greater support from the masses, whom he noted rather persuaded him to contest in the previous elections, and that support remains unwavering even upon the declaration of their seat in Parliament as vacant following the demise of the MP.
Speaking to some journalists at Kumawu, Mr. Kwaku Duah disclosed that, following his formal announcement to re-contest for the seat in the upcoming by-election, he has received mouth-watering monetary inducements from certain groups and individuals to step down so as to brighten their chances of winning the election but has turned down all the juicy offers.
He disclosed that agents of one of the competing parties have used various tactics to get him to rescind his decision, including asking him to charge them any amount of money for payment and step down, but he has scaled all such ‘temptations’ to betray the people.
Mr. Kwaku Duah said he is not bothered by the intimidation and blackmail but remains true to the people.
The 62-year-old registered nurse turned businessman first contested the 2020 Kumawu Parliamentary election as an independent candidate and made a case by getting more than 11,000 votes, as against the over 14,000 by the late Basoa.
Mr. Kwaku Duah noted that contesting in the previous elections was in response to the persuasion of the people. He, therefore, has an obligation to also remain faithful to the people.
He told the media that, unlike the Independent Candidate who won the Fomena parliamentary seat in the 2020 election, he will not align with any of the two political parties if he wins the election and becomes the MP. Instead, he will vote and debate on issues purely in national perspective and in the greater interest of his constituents.
“Kwaku Duah in Parliament, no matter where my seat is, doesn’t matter to me. The issue at stake, and the first question I’ll ask, is, how is it going to benefit Mother Ghana so that my Constituency can also benefit from it? That is how I’m going to cast my vote. So Kwaku Duah will look beyond colours and vote on issues,” he said.
Mr. Kwaku Duah said despite losing his bid in the 2020 election, he is still helping the constituency address some of their critical needs with a focus on sanitation and tourism, which are sectors in which he is financing critical projects in various communities to benefit the people.
Asked for his opinion about the emergence of another Independent Candidate bearing almost the same information as him on the ballot paper for the by-election, Mr. Kwaku Duah said he is not the least perturbed, even though that person is being sponsored by one of the contesting political parties just to split his potential votes and cause his defeat.
He warned that the people of Kumawu will not allow a replication of the violent disturbances that characterised the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election and therefore advised anyone or group of people planning any such acts to disrupt the upcoming by-election to abort it.
Voters in the Kumawu Constituency in the Ashanti region will go back to the polls on Tuesday, May 23, 2023, to choose a replacement for their Member of Parliament, Philip Atta Basoah, who died on March 27, 2023, while still serving his 3rd consecutive term.
