Ophelia Hayford, the first wife of the late Ekow Quansah Hayford, is now the NPP parliamentary nominee for Mfantseman.

The decision was taken at the NPP’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held on Sunday, October 18, in accordance with Article 12 of the party’s constitution.

The NEC stated that the party had consultations with all stakeholders of the party as well as constituents of Mfantseman before Ophelia Hayford, who had earlier resigned as a police officer, was nominated.

In a statement signed by John Boadu, the party’s General Secretary, Ophelia Hayford, the first wife of the late MP who was killed by unknown assailants, was described as having “been a strong pillar in the political life of her late husband, and certainly, her selection as his replacement can only be a step in the right direction”.

The NPP had earlier officially notified the Electoral Commission of the death of Ekow Quansah Hayford, for MP for Mfantseman who was re-contesting for them and requested for a 10-day extension of the nomination period in line with Section 13(4) of C.I. 127 which governs the December 2020 elections.

If Ophelia Hayford is elected on December 7, she will be the third wife of an MP who has succeeded the husband after his demise, at least in the history of Ghana’s fourth republic.

In the past, Linda Obenewaa Akweley Ocloo, was selected by the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) to step into the shoes of her late husband, Desmond William Ocloo who was then a parliamentary candidate for Shai Osudoku.

Lydia Seyram Alhassan, the MP for Ayawaso West Wuogon in Accra, through a by-election, succeeded her late husband Emmanuel Kyeremateng Agyarko who died as a sitting MP.

With only a few weeks to the December by-election, Parliament has announced that there will be no by-election in Mfantseman.

It, therefore, remains to be seen the political manoeuvrings of the two major parties to win the Mfantseman seat which can go either way.