By Abdul Razak Bawa

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Tema West, Irene Naa Torshie Addo, desecrated the holy Muslims celebration of Eid Ul-Fitr at Tema Community 22 last Wednesday, by almost going down on her knees, pleading that she should be retained in Parliament when they go voting at the 2012 elections.

“Look at me, I am your wife, your daughter, your mother, please, vote for me, and don’t vote for a man,” Ms. Addo told the Muslims.

Ms. Addo’s plea was a reference to a threat she faces from the former Majority Leader and ex-Member of Parliament for Tema West, Mr. Abraham Osei-Aidoo.

Lawyer Aidoo, who lost the primaries to Ms. Addo for the 2008 elections due to machinations by Nana Addo, has declared his intention to go independent for the seat come the 2012 elections.

Ms. Addo who once practiced in Akufo-Addo, Prempeh & Co Chambers, unconfirmed reports say used to date Nana Addo, told the muslims: “I have been going from mosque to mosque every Friday to shore up support for my candidature, because the men are scheming to take over my seat, so, please, pray for me”.

The MP who served as ex-Ghana’s Deputy Ambassador to America when Nana Addo was a Foreign Minister, observed that for now, her efforts to amass muslim votes by visiting Mosques in the constituency seemed to be paying off as some elders in the Muslim community in Lashibi, led by one Alhaji Kabore, have decided to endorse her candidature and retention in Parliament.

However, when Ms. Addo was introduced to speak to the gathering; people started walking away from the prayer ground, in apparent disapproval of her candidature.

Ms. Addo is famously remembered for scheming with Atta Akyea, MP for Abuakwa South, to place a court order on the Electoral Commission (EC) in 2008, not to declare the presidential results in favour of now President John Atta Mills.

The two had claimed that they had evidence to prove that there had been massive irregularities, including the killing of an NPP polling agent, in the Volta Region. This turned out to be untrue.

It will be recalled that Lawyer Aidoo had, in the run-up to the 2008 elections, blamed his defeat at the primaries on Mr Mac Manu, former chairman of the NPP, Nana Akufo-Addo, the current flagbearer of the NPP and other bigwigs in the party.

Lawyer Aidoo’s decision to go independent comes in the wake of Ms. Addo going unopposed in the primaries held two months ago.

His decision to go independent and subsequent campaigning have sent chills down the spine of Ms. Addo, impelling her to go round gatherings, pleading passionately for votes on the basis of her gender.

Her action, readers will recall, can be likened to that of Ms. Christine Churcher, former Member of Parliament for Cape Coast, who almost married the NPP flagbearer, who once went down on her knees before some chiefs and people in a fishing community in the Central Region, begging them to vote for Nana Akufo-Addo in the 2008 run-off.

The Herald has gathered from some constituents that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) is doing well on the ground, and might pose a strong challenge to the NPP come December 2012. They cited the ongoing Nungua-Ashiaman road project as an example of what the people are yearning for.

The Tema West Constituency seat, since the introduction of the multi-party democracy in 1992, has been won by the NPP. With the current wranglings in the NPP, it is becoming evident that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) is likely to win the seat. The party (NDC) is yet to elect its candidate for election 2012. Naa Torshie Addo recently described her predecessor (Abraham Osei-Aidoo) as a greedy politician who harbours a wicked desire to destroy the NPP, thus his motivation to contest the seat again.

In a radio interview, Naa Addo described Mr. Osei-Aidoo’s decision to contest in the 2012 election as a ‘pity,’ and says she is unfazed by any competition from her predecessor MP.

“If my God has made me go unopposed, then he will surely complete it. I will win the seat, and win massively. I don’t think that Lawyer Aidoo stands the chance against me as an Independent Candidate, and if he tries to withdraw, I will loose respect for him. We should contest and let the word of God prevail. He could take some votes, but would that be substantial?

“In 2004, four people went independent, and contested Lawyer Aidoo, but he won. Even he won, so how much more a covenanted child of God? I don’t know what Lawyer Aidoo is coming in with but I come in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and I know that I am a winner and a conqueror through Christ who strengthens me. I know that Lawyer Aidoo is not much for me because the battle is of the Lord”, she said.

Ms Torshie Addo queried: “What is it? Will you call it greed or love for power? He wants to destroy the party because he believes he is the only person who can go to Parliament. I believe that is what it is. Apart from that, what else? If you have been Majority Leader who has gone three terms unopposed, what is the problem?”

Ms. Torshie Addo threatened to reveal the role Lawyer Aidoo played in an incident in the year 2000, where one Dr. Addo was beaten mercilessly for the reason that he had picked up forms to contest against him, who was then the candidate.

“We need to paint the monster that he is. If we have not made the world to know about that incident and now he is coming against me, I am ready for him. It will be bumper-to-bumper. If he wants it to be messy, he will get it messy. If he wants it clean, he will get it clean. I am not an inferior woman, and he cannot intimidate me. His announcement that he is going independent is neither here nor there” she said.

By the Constitution of the NPP, a member who contests on a different ticket automatically ceases to be a member of the party.

But the former MP has told Citi News that his decision is cast in stone. According to him, the Tema West album for delegates is hugely flawed but the party has refused to rectify the problem after several petitions, including a Court action. This, he said, is the reason for his actions.

“I am definitely contesting the Tema West seat for 2012. But as to whether I contest on the NPP, NDC, CPP or independent that will be answered later. It is a personal decision and it is irrevocable. Nothing will change that decision. No human being on this earth can change it, except me, and I don’t intend to change it. I am not resigning and I know the consequences of that decision and I will suffer it. If I have to contest as an independent candidate, I will do that,” Mr. Aidoo stressed.