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The NPP Bantama seat is going to be turf war that would require great political dexterity and acumen to win in the December 7, 2020, parliamentary elections.
 
Ahead of the constituency primaries, the incumbent, Daniel Okyem Aboagye, and his toughest contender who double as the Deputy Chief of Staff, Francis Asenso-Boakye are both going the extra mile to win the hearts of their party delegates before December 7.
 
But, an influential person in the constituency and immediate former Member of Parliament (MP) for the area, Henry Kwabena Kokofu has emphatically stated that the Bantama constituency needs no other representative in parliament than Mr. Francis Asenso-Boakye.
 
Inheritance, character, and qualities
 
Speaking with Kumasi-based Kessben FM, Henry Kwabena Kokofu noted that Mr. Asenso-Boakye was arranged to inherit the Bantama seat after him per the political tradition of the constituency.
 
He explained that “Mr. Asenso-Boakye shown interest in the seat when he returned from America as a young gentleman.”
 
“Even though we [constituency elders] knew he had the character and qualities to lead the people of Bantama, we spoke to him to undergo leadership training under Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo during the campaign time because he was so brilliant but young to be an MP.”
 
“We pleaded for him to continue with the training when we [NPP] won the election in 2016. Through hard work, he was appointed the deputy chief of staff and advisor to the president,” Kokofu narrated.

Loyalty and support

According to the former Bantama MP, Mr. Asenso-Boakye who contested the primaries with him and lost in 2011 was “loyal” to him and “supported” his tenure immensely to develop the constituency without making it public.

“I ones said in my speech, I love the spirit of this young man [Asenso-Boakye] and predicted that his time will surely come to lead the people of Bantama,” he said.

According to Kokoku, Asenso-Boakye comes this time, as a generous figure in the eyes of the delegates, owing to his periodic donations to the party and lobbying of government projects, among which school blocks, road projects and lighting systems for the Bantama Sub Metro; a factor that has skyrocketed his popularity over the incumbent MP even among non-delegates.

Destined

“Asenso-Boakye’s contribution to the constituency even when he was not an MP has been tremendous. He has served the constituency diligently and this is his time to lead the people of Bantama. He is destined to lead his people and we all have to support him,” the former MP insisted.