The Upper East Regional Communication Officer for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Jonathan Abdallah Salifu, is not worried about the outcome of the parliamentary election in Bongo later this year.
Speaking to Mark Smith on A1 Radio’s Day Break Upper East Show, Mr. Abdallah Salifu mentioned that one of the places the NDC would easily triumph, particularly in the parliamentary election, is the Bongo constituency.
The Regional Communication Officer stated that the parliamentary candidate for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Diana Aburiya Asuure, “is a very weak candidate.” He continued to say, “We have not lost that seat before, and the people are still committed to the NDC.”
Beyond Ms. Asuure being described as a “weak candidate,” Mr. Abdallah Salifu explained that the NPP in Bongo was in complete disarray.
“In Bongo, the PC wakes up and does what she wants, and the DCE also does what she wants. There is no coordination,” he said.
Meanwhile, Diana Aburiya Asuure was elected by delegates at the NPP primaries in 2023 as the parliamentary candidate. She hopes to be the first woman to win the Bongo seat.
Ms. Aburiya Asuure was contested by two others: Frank Aborigo A-ugidimah and Richard Mba Asalma. She secured 350 votes, while Frank Aborigo A-ugidimah had 232 votes, and Mba Asalma Richard had 19 votes. Ms. Aburiya Asuure will face Charles Bawa-Dua, whom she has described as “a newbie in parliamentary elections.”
In 2012, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) presented Diana Aburiya Asuure as a parliamentary candidate for Bongo. She lost the election to Albert Abongo. The NDC’s Albert Abongo polled 18,609 votes, representing 53.7 percent of the votes, while Ms. Aburiya Asuure polled 11,118 votes, representing 32.01 percent of the total votes cast.
In a recent interview, Ms. Aburiya Asuure said her win at the primaries suggests the growth of her influence in local politics. It also signals the decision of the people to take the initiative to increase the representation of women at decision-making levels.
She says she is a champion for women and youth.
“Once women constitute a majority, decisions about women should at least have the input of women. If you have a larger population whose fate would be decided by a minority group, I think it doesn’t speak well.”
Ms. Aburiya Asuure knows that the journey she is undertaking is difficult. Campaigns, she said, “are very expensive.” The other challenge is that many “are not used to being led by women.”
Ms. Aburiya Asuure says the election journey is hostile to women.
Source: A1Radioonline.Com | 101.1MHZ | Mark Kwasi Ahumah Smith | Bolgatanga
