One of the casualties in last Saturday’s parliamentary primaries held in constituencies in the Greater Accra Region where the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) has sitting Members of Parliament says he should have hearkened to the voice of God rather than that of man when he first decided not to stand for re-election.

On December 4 last year, the NDC MP for Adenta, Hon. Kojo Adu Asare surprisingly announced that he will not represent his constituents on the ticket of the ruling party in next year's general elections. However, he announced his re-entry into the contest only a few weeks after that announcement. The sudden volte-face in position came as a surprise to many, including his own constituency members.

Affectionately called Hon Swagger, the NDC MP lost woefully in his attempt to re-run on the ruling party's ticket. He managed only 17 votes while Emmanuel Nii Ashie Moore polled 77 votes out of the 158 delegates. Other candidates who contested the seat were Dr. Desmond Aryee-Boi, Samuel Anum Adjei, Alhaji Adam Mahama, Herty Laura Ken and Paulina Delali Adinyirah.

Opening up publicly on his defeat for the first time, Hon Swagger who was speaking as a panelist on Peace FM’s premium morning show, ‘Kokrokoo’, said he has learnt to listen to the voice of God instead of man. According to him, God told him to quit and that was why he decided not to contest in the first place but upon the advice of some of his friends, he decided to contest.

Seeking solace from the Holy Scriptures, the NDC MP who read copiously from Romans 8:28 said he believed he lost because God has a different plan for him.

“In life things happen and whenever such things occur they are in line with the plans of God…there is one thing I have learnt in all of these: that when God speaks and you defy it, some of these things are bound to happen. God spoke to me and I decided not to contest again however, people advised me so I decided to go. Probably, I should have abided by what God said…”

“… I take this whole experience as one that God has ordained... He is refining me for something bigger. It’s a lesson for me. Being a Christian I believe I am in line with what God wants me to do. Most of the people who have spoken to me admit that they can sense something bigger on the way and I agree with them. Whichever way anybody sees it, I see it as a mile stone for greater works… I am a fighter and I don’t think God has finished with me yet…better days and times are ahead…it is only a matter of time that God will reveal his purposes for my life…,” he added.

Despite the defeat, Hon Adu Asare says the NDC cannot gloss over his contribution to the party in the constituency maintaining that he remains relevant to the success of the party in this year’s polls.

He appealed to his supporters not to feel disheartened by the results of the primary since the loss does not necessarily mean the end of his life. To him, a lot will be required of the NDC and the parliamentary candidate-elect for the area, Nii Ashie Moore, consideration that his main challenger for the seat, Madam Frances Assiam of the New Patriotic Party is a very formidable candidate.

“It’s not going to be easy. The gentleman who has won has a lot of work to do; marketing himself to the electorates…people are now going to scrutinize the personality from head to toe...But we will continue to help him (Ashie Moore) in whatever way we can,” the Adenta MP said.