By Kekeli K. Blamey
Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah, a private legal practitioner, has emerged victorious in the Manhyia South primary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), securing 376 votes to defeat three other contenders.
Awuah succeeds Dr. Mathew Opoku-Prempeh, who served as the party’s representative in the constituency until his selection as the running mate for the NPP’s flagbearer, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.
Nana Owusu Afriyie Prempeh, the brother of Dr. Opoku-Prempeh, finished second with 141 votes. James Owusu Boakye and Akwasi Coker Gyambibi collected seven and two votes, respectively.
Prior to the election, various polls had predicted Awuah’s victory, with expectations that the brother of the outgoing Member of Parliament (MP) would present a significant challenge. As anticipated, the two frontrunners garnered approximately 98 percent of the total votes, leaving the remaining candidates with less than 10 votes combined.
Initially, five aspirants picked forms to contest the seat when nominations opened, but Kwadwo Amankwah Antwi withdrew, leaving four candidates in the race.
Dr. Opoku-Prempeh first won the parliamentary seat in the 2008 general election, representing the people of Manhyia. Following the division of the constituency, he secured the Manhyia South seat in 2012, succeeding Dr. Kwame Addo Kufour, who had held the seat since 1996.
Dr. Addo Kufour himself succeeded William Kwasi Asante of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), who won the seat in 1992 during an election the NPP boycotted, claiming the presidential contest was rigged in favor of the NDC’s candidate, Jerry John Rawlings. The NPP’s candidate, Professor Albert Adu Boahen, finished second in that pivotal election, which marked Ghana’s return to democratic rule.
