NDC tag fails to nail Joe Mensah

From Alfred Adams, Takoradi
The conduct of primary in the Kwesimintsim constituency by the New Patriotic Party (NPP), which was eventually won by Mr Joseph Mensah, was not without drama.

The primary was put on hold following the dispute over the eligibility of Joe Mensah to contest. Whilst the eligibility contest was being looked at by the courts, news started making rounds that the new parliamentary candidate for Kwesimintsim was NDC spy that has been planted in the midst of NPP members in the constituency and that, a vote for him would be tantamount to endorsing NDC.

When the court finally gave the order for the conduct of the primary, a letter bearing the logo of the ruling national Democratic Congress (NDC) and purportedly signed by the deputy General Secretary, Koku Anyidoho, went viral on social media. The said letter endorsed the candidature of Joe Mensah.

The letter dated 23rd September, 2016, reads: 'Following the decision of the High Court last Friday, the account of the NDC in the Western Region office has been credited with an amount of GH2,000.

This is to support Mr Joseph Mensah's operation at Kwesimintsim constituency. You are kindly reminded that the NDC has already invested heavily to distract the activities of the NPP at Kwesimintsim Constituency Parliamentary Seat and, therefore, you ought to work assiduously to ensure that we succeed.

“Our ally, Joseph Mensah, has shown great commitment and cannot be blamed if the incumbent wins the primary as stated in the agreement made with him.

“Our agreement with him binds him not to file as a parliamentary candidate when he wins the primaries so that our parliamentary candidate can sail through.”

Knowing the rationale behind the propaganda letter, Joe Mensah's team quickly came out to deny links with the NDC.

Mr Julius Homenu, Joe Mensah's spokesman, asked Journalists to treat the letter with the highest contempt it deserves.

To him, the letter was a plot designed by his opponents to throw dust into the eyes of the delegates that his boss was an NDC man.

Another text message purportedly sent by the campaign Director of the NPP, Peter Mac Manu, endorsing the candidature of Joseph Baidoe Ansah was also circulating on social media and generated heated debate among the supporters of the two contestants.

Despite all these twists and turns, Joe Mensah still won the primary to the consternation of his opponents.