Fomena (Ash), Dec. 10, GNA - Mr. Samuel Pinkrah, 52, the Akrokerri circuit steward of the Methodist Church has been elected the National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary candidate for the Fomena constituency in the Ashanti Region.

In a peaceful election held at New Ayaase and supervised by the Electoral Commission, Mr Pinkrah secured 81 votes to beat Ms. Grace Ampofoh, a retired educationist who polled 31 votes. Mr. Pinkrah, who is the headmaster of Akrokerri Methodist Junior High School (JHS) and the constituency chairman of the party in a victory speech called on the members to forget about the results of the primaries and rather rally behind him to secure victory in 2008. "Let us pool our resources to strengthen the party for victory in the constituency and in the presidential elections," he said. Speaking before the elections, the Member of Parliament for New Edubiase, Mr Ernest Kofi Yakah noted that NDC stood the chance of winning in 2008 because majority of Ghanaians were fed up with the New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration.

He said the tax on mobile phone usage was not acceptable, stressing that, "why should the government only think of maximising revenue generation without considering the plight of the ordinary Ghanaian." "The hardship created by the NPP in the country is too much and for that matter, they are going to be voted out for Atta Mills to take up the presidency," Mr Yakah said.

Mr Akwasi Abayie, the Ashanti Regional Organiser of NDC reiterated the party's stand that they would not tolerate a situation where NPP would announce electoral results ahead of the Electoral Commission. He was confident of the NDC winning more seats in the Ashanti Region but admitted it would require hard work to accomplish that feat.