Politics of Thursday, 17 March 2016

Source: kasapafmonline.com

Contesting Klottey seat not a demotion from PPP - Eva Lokko

Ms Eva Lokko Ms Eva Lokko

The 2012 Vice Presidential candidate for the Progressive People’s Party (PPP), Eva Naa Merley Lokko has discounted suggestions by a section of the public that her bid to contest the Klottey Korle parliamentary seat is a clear demotion.

According to the former Director-General of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, Klottey Korle will be an easy seat to grab for the PPP following the happenings in NPP and NDC in the constituency.

“Politics is about development. There is no superiority in politics. My party feels per its new strategy, I could help promote the agenda best in parliament hence Klottey Korle. It might look as a demotion when you do not understand politics. There is too much acrimony in the party thereby cannot be termed as a hot seat. It is rather a cold seat”she said

The incumbent MP, Nii Armah Ashittey has filed a suit challenging the legitimacy of Dr. Zanetor Rawlings to contest for a parliamentary seat under the 1992 constitution.

Lawyer for the 2012 election petitioners, Philip Addison challenged the legality of the NPP primaries in Klottey Korle at the court resulting in a re-run which he won subsequently; a win his main opponent, Valentino Nii Noi Nortey deemed as a fraud hence his decision to contest as an independent candidate in the 2016 polls.

Speaking to Kasapa FM’s Maame Broni, Eva Lokko noted the needs of the constituents have been neglected due to the supremacy war in both NPP and NDC. This, according to her, influenced her decision to represent the people in parliament.

She downplayed rumours of her failure to make an impact as a running mate in the 2012 elections claiming her input has made PPP the second biggest Opposition in the country after recording a 64,362 votes representing 0.59% the third highest in the 2012 general elections.

A surprised Eva Lokko when Maame Broni informed her of NPP’s Nii Noi Nortey’s decision to contest as an independent candidate emphasized her preparedness to whisk the seat from the NDC hence her readiness to battle all the supposed ‘Big names’ in the constituency.

“I am not scared of anyone. They are also human. We all have our backgrounds and experience bringing to bear. I am going there full of hope and trust. How can I be scared when the competition is yet to start? The constituents will have to decide whom they deem fit for the job. I am not in the contest to talk but to work” she noted.

She therefore urged the media to concentrate on setting agenda that seeks to promote the needs of the people rather than the internal wrangling of some political parties.