AS DELEGATES BETRAY CONSTITUENTS

Supporters of the NDC in the Ketu South were thrown into a state of gloom while NPP followers were seen openly jubilating last Saturday soon after news filtered through that the candidate least desired by the majority of Ketu South lovers of NDC, had emerged victorious in the primaries, thanks to some 95 delegates who stubbornly refused to vote in line with the aspirations of the vast majority of the constituents.

Albert Zigah of the Aflao GPRTU narrowly edged Agbagedi by 9 votes when 95 delegates out of a total of about 267 delegates threw their weight behind him to the utter chagrin and consternation of the majority of the supporters of the party in the Ketu South, who had earlier warned the delegates not to vote in a particular direction else the NDC win the presidential but lose the parliamentary elections come December 7, 2004.

The other three contestants, Francis Dzineku, Desky Ahedor and Col. Necku polled 38, 27 and 21 votes respectively.

Although, Zigah won the primaries, there were widespread feelings of discontent especially among the youths of the constituency who believe that their delegates had betrayed them by voting for a candidate who possesses the least capability to champion the interest of the constituency in Parliament. They openly accused the delegates of having been monetarily induced to vote for a candidate that is not the preferred choice of the majority of the constituency. The supporters of the NPP in the constituency were seen openly jubilating on account of the fact that majority of NDC supporters would out of protest opt for Thomas Seshie the NPP candidate for the area. They certainly had good reasons for celebrating since many NDC youths were seen, soon after the primaries, on the back of a vehicle belonging to the NPP candidate, and were heard threatening that if no better NDC candidate stood as independent, they would have no option but to vote for the NPP in the parliamentary elections. This conflict between constituents and their delegates brings to the fore the vexed question of how truly representative the delegates system of voting is. Do the delegates represent themselves or do they represent the interest of the people whose wishes they are supposed to express through their votes.

Against the backdrop of the widespread anger of the people of Ketu South, it would seem that unless the party acts very quickly, Ketu South, traditionally a bulwark of the NDC, is set to follow the 2000 elections? example of Anlo and the coastal constituencies in Accra where the constituents protested against the candidates of the party by voting for either the NPP candidates or for an independent candidate.

In nearby Ketu North, the situation was the exact opposite as wild jubilations greeted the news of the victory of Chartered Accountant James Klutse over incumbent Modestus Ahiable; the constituents were particularly gladdened by the pledge of the Hon. Ahiable to put all his weight behind the new candidate to ensure a resounding victory for the NDC in the constituency at the elections. Mr Klutse had polled 113 votes ahead 0f Hon. Ahiable?s 65. The other three contestants together grossed only 11 votes.