The Director of Elections for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Evans Nimako, has dismissed claims that Solomon Kwame Asumadu is being imposed on the party and the people of Akwatia as the parliamentary candidate for the upcoming by-election.
Responding to criticisms of a lack of internal democracy, Nimako clarified that Asumadu’s selection followed broad stakeholder engagement and was a result of consensus, not coercion.
He insisted the decision reflects the will of the constituency, especially in the wake of the passing of the sitting MP, Ernest Kumi.
Speaking on Citi Eyewitness News on Tuesday, July 29, Nimako explained that the party has a history of employing both competitive and consensus methods in selecting parliamentary candidates, depending on the circumstances.
“The NPP is not imposing a candidate on the good people of Akwatia. The party has gone through this route before. Not in every constituency do we have a competitive selection process. In some situations, especially in the case of the New Patriotic Party, we have used various approaches to select our candidates,” he stated.
He added that in Akwatia, the mood of the constituents and party members leaned heavily in favour of unity and continuity, hence the overwhelming support for a consensus arrangement.
In this particular instance, the good people of Akwatia believe that, following the passing of our dear MP Ernest Kumi, it is appropriate for the party to adopt this approach. The consensus candidate is someone accepted by the people of Akwatia,” Nimako emphasised.
The NPP officially endorsed Solomon Kwame Asumadu, CEO of Owuo Mining Company, as its candidate for the by-election after consultations rejected calls for a primary on Monday, July 28.