2020 polls: Ama Sey backs out; fans threaten to vote ‘skirt & blouse’
The Member of Parliament for the Akwatia constituency in the Eastern Region, Mercy Adu Gyamfi, popularly known as Ama Sey, has rescinded her decision to contest as an independent candidate for the parliamentary seat in the December polls.
Class91.3FM’s regional correspondent, Kwame Appiah Kubi, reported on Thursday, 8 October 2020 that some stalwarts of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) talked her out of her earlier decision.
According to Appiah Kubi, the MP, who lost her re-election bid during the party’s parliamentary primaries, has been promised an appointment in the next NPP government should the party retain power in 2021.
Ama Sey rejected the results of the governing NPP parliamentary primaries in the constituency after the internal polls.
The MP, who unseated the National Democratic Congress’ Baba Jamal in the December 2016 parliamentary elections, claimed that there were electoral malpractices during the internal polls, hence called for a recount.
There was, however, no recounting of the ballots.
She had 223 votes, losing to Ernest Kumi, who garnered 227 votes.
According to Appiah Kubi, the party does not want to lose the seat to the NDC’S Henry Kwadwo Boakye, popularly known as Okoyo.
“We understand that the seat of the presidency has promised her an appointment if the NPP retains power in the next elections to rescind her decision in order not to give advantage to the NDC’s parliamentary candidate in the person of Mr Henry Okoyo Boakye to win the parliamentary seat,” Appiah Kubi told Kofi Oppong Asamoah on 12 Live on Thursday, 8 October 2020.
“So, that means she has rescinded her decision. She is no more an independent candidate,” he added.
Appiah Kubi, however, noted that Ama Sey’s supporters are disgruntled because she had changed her mind on pursuing an independent candidature in the constituency.
According to him, the legislator’s support base has threatened to throw their weight behind the NDC’s Henry Kwadwo Boakye, albeit being members of the NPP.
A group calling itself ‘Friends of Ama Sey’, according to Appiah Kubi, have said “they have heard that the MP has changed her mind but they will not side with her”.
“They group insists on her contesting as an independent candidate. If she fails to contest as an independent candidate, they will be compelled to throw their weight behind the NDC’s parliamentary candidate,” he stressed.
One of the leaders of ‘Friends of Ama Sey’, Mr John Nobody, reiterated that the group will vote for the NDC candidate if Ama Sey is bent on not contesting as an independent candidate.
John Nobody stated categorically that the group will not vote for the NPP’s parliamentary candidate, Mr Ernest Kumi.
“It is not Ama Sey who is coming to be independent. It is us who are forcing her to be independent, so, if she says she won’t go again, our supporters are here to vote for that Okoyo, that NDC parliamentary candidate, surely,” he told Kofi Oppong Asamoah in a phone interview.
He explained that Ama Sey was cheated in the parliamentary primaries held on 20 June 2020, hence the decision to contest as an independent candidate.
“They refused to recount the ballots. So, we don’t want to talk much. We will vote for Okoyo and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo,” John Nobody remarked.
John Nobody was confident that if the group votes for the NDC candidate, it could upset the NPP’s chances of winning the Akwatia constituency seat.
