Some Constituency Executives of the Tema East branch of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) have touted Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Hon. Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin, as the party’s banner of hope for 2020.
At a press conference held in Accra yesterday, the executives, led by Stephen Ashitey Adjei, alias Moshake, celebrated Hon. Bagbin as the true choice of the people and urged other delegates who support him in secret, to boldly come out and declare their stance.
“Even our opponents in the NPP acknowledge that our best asset for 2020 is Hon. Bagbin. Within our party too, the majority of delegates acknowledge this. However, there are many pro-Bagbin delegates and executives who have kept their allegiance private and we want to assure them that if they wish to come out like some of us have done, they will have our support,” Moshake said.
Flanked on the high table of the press conference by Mr. Philip Yankey, another Tema East executive of the party and Mr. Evans Amarh, Deputy Constituency organizer, Moshake said their press conference was aimed to serve as a reminder to all Bagbin fans and admirers that the Nadowli-Kaleo MP’s flagbearership campaign is on track.
“I will urge every executive who is given free money to oppose Hon. Bagbin’s candidacy in the media to take it because times are hard, but at the end of the day, such an acceptance of cash will only be bad if you allow it to influence your decision to vote,” Moshake said in what was a clear swipe.
The press conference which was well attended by executives and supporters of Hon. Bagbin came off yesterday. In addition to Bagbin, the organizers also celebrated late President Mills, whose incorruptibility and forthrightness, they said was being characterized by Bagbin.
On his part, Mr. Philip Yankey said the supporters of Bagbin who are still in the closet are free to choose to remain in the shadows but pleaded with them that they should not change their minds about voting for Bagbin.
According to him, there are signs on the wall that Hon. Bagbin’s main contender, former President Mahama, has already lost the flagbearer bid, saying the massive losses incurred by pro-Mahama contesters in the NDC’s just ended regional executives election is telling enough.
Majority of pro-Mahama people who contested for the various regional Chairmanship of the party lost. At least, six, out of the ten former Chairmen who endorsed Mahama in 2017 were voted out of office.
Mr. Amarh Evans, the deputy constituency organizer said, “A.S.K Bagbin has been minority leader for two terms and the whole NDC was full of praise for his excellent performance, when he became the majority leader, health Minister and Water Resources Minister too we all saw how he worked perfectly in concert with president Mills to build nursing training schools and regional hospitals with modern facilities, how he managed to solve Ghana’s water shortage problems among many other things, in fact, we have decided to celebrate Hon. Bagbin and Late President Mills because of their good works.”
Mr. Azeez Salau, also executive member of Tema east NDC said “Hon. Bagbin’s track record of success in politics is very superior, he is very intelligent and provided effective leadership throughout his life, he is godfearing and principled, he’s known worldwide and cuts across political divide. He is the best for NDC 2020 and that is why he is the choice of many delegates across the country, nobody can use money to manipulate me against the respected second deputy speaker of parliament.’’
“I am happy to be part of his celebration in a grand style.” Mr. Salau noted.
