The ongoing Western regional tour of Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Hon. Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin, keeps throwing up very interesting highlights that enforces the likelihood of he being elected ahead of all the other flagbearer contenders.
Over the weekend, the Nadowli Kaleo MP, whose promise to depart from the divisive leadership style of former President John Mahama, if he is elected flagbearer, was in the Prestea area and the reception was astounding.
Hon. Bagbin was mobbed by enthusiastic townsfolk, hailed by Regional, Constituency and branch executives and then later blessed by a Chief. This kind of enthusiastic reception was the direct opposite of what another Flagbearer aspirant, Prof. Joshua Alabi, received when he was also there.
“To put it very simply, Hon. Bagbin has just eclipsed Prof. Alabi here in Prestea,” Emmanuel Boateng, Branch Secretary in the Prestea Huni Valley constituency of the NDC said in amazement.
According to Mr. Boateng, “If I were Prof. Alabi, I would forget about Prestea because it is obvious they are for Bagbin.”
As part of Hon. Bagbin’s massive reception, local radio stations in the Western Region have been blazing campaign songs that a group of musicians have recorded for him.
When Prof. Joshua Alabi had visited the same place earlier in the week, many people did not even know that an NDC flagbearer aspirant was in town. Like Bagbin, the former UPSA Rector had also met with Constituency executives but next to nothing was heard of the meetings, only for Hon. Bagbin to step in the same place and stir up the whole town.
Many of the townsfolk detained the popular Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament for ‘selfies,’ while party gurus from the area, including former MPs, former Ambassadors and Constituency executives swelled up around the Nadowli Kaleo MP who intentionally went to the Western region with a small entourage.
The Western regional tour had started last week with Takoradi, the regional capital as Hon. Alban Bagbin’s first point of call. Here he met with NDC regional executives there and told them that he would be a unifier if he is voted flagbearer.
According to him, the era of disrespect for the Founder and elders of the party will be ended under him while he will leverage an already existing cordiality between himself and the elders of the party, including the Founder, former President Rawlings, to make them father the party again. As usual, Hon. Bagbin reiterated his promise that under his leadership, party executives and members who sacrifice for the party will be rewarded.
After the meeting with the regional executives in Takoardi, he headed to Juaboso and came to Prestea, where he met with Constituency executives. Later, Hon. Bagbin was hosted by a local FM station, Energy FM, where he reiterated his campaign message again.
From there, he paid a courtesy call on the Chief of Prestea Himan, Nana Ntaboa lV, who blessed and prayed for him in his palace. Cadres in the region too met with the Nadowli Kaleo MP.
The Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament later met with the chief Imam for the Prestea Huni Valley Central Mosque, Sheikh Abdul Karim Alhassan, who also offered prayers for him.
The tour so far has covered Sekondi Takoradi, Juaboso, Prestea and Elembele. Hon. Bagbin, who intentionally went to the Western region with a very small entourage however, has had his entourage expanded with many political heavyweights of the NDC from the area, including former MP for Prestea Huni Valley, Hon. Kofi Blay, Constituency Treasurer, Mr. Oluman Baylor, and a former parliamentary candidate for Sisala East, Mrs Jemilatu Ibrahim.
“I have not seen this kind of massive support for Bagbin before although he enjoys massive support in other regions”. Mrs. Jemilatu Ibrahim said.
While touring the region, campaign songs composed for him have been blazing on radio stations there. The songs include, “Come and Save Ghana,” and “Vote for Bagbin.”
