The Okaikwei North constituency has garnered attention as one of the hotly contested areas ahead of the upcoming December 7 elections.
Despite being considered a safe seat for the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), the constituency witnessed a surprising victory for the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the December 2020 elections, with growing discontent among party supporters against the former MP, Fuseini Issah.
The stakes are quite high as two vibrant ladies of the two major political parties have locked horns, ahead of the general elections.
The incumbent NDC Member of Parliament (MP) who is seeking re-election, Theresah Lardi Awuni and Nana Ama Dokua Asiamah-Adjei, contesting on the ticket of the NPP, are already at each other’s throat, throwing jabs and innuendos over who has the supremacy of the area.
Theresa Awuni argues that Ama Dokua is not a true resident of the Okaikwei North constituency and that she (Ama Dokua) is choosing the area because of the active presence and stiff opposition in her current constituency in the Eastern Region.
She insists the deputy minister will not represent the true aspirations and interests of the constituency and may abandon them if she is voted for, just like she is doing to the people of Akuapem North.
Theresa Awuni, who appears to have a large following, boasts that she is the one who has been in the area for years, understands the problems of the people and will always be available for the constituents.
But Ama Dokua is leaving no stone unturned, throwing her jabs in coded language.
She appears to be operating on the quiet, without coming out boldly and often, like her opponent.
Since she was elected the NPP parliamentary candidate for the Okaikwei North, Ama Dokua has been seen in videos campaigning, visiting and meeting delegates in different locations, all aimed at galvanizing support for herself.
Nana Ama Dokua who is currently a sitting MP for the Akuapem North constituency in the Eastern Region, decided to forgo her re-election bid in her constituency and instead set her sights on the Okaikwei North Constituency.
Read also: NPP Primaries: Nana Ama Dokua Wins Okaikwei North Seat
This surprising move is attributed to the decision of Sammy Awuku, a former National Organiser of the governing party, to annex the Akuapem North seat.
Hailing from Akropong in the Akuapem North Constituency, Nana Ama Dokua is serving her second term as an MP.
While Nana Ama Dokua prides herself as the best bet to unseat the incumbent and recapture the seat for the NPP, Theresa Awuni, on the other hand, is determined to defend her seat against any intruder.
Ms Awuni, the former GIMPA TEIN Women Commissioner and a three-time Constituency Women’s Organiser of Okaikwei North Constituency came to the limelight after winning the seat for the NDC for the first time in 2020. She defeated the then-NPP incumbent MP for Okaikwei North, Fuseini Issah, in the parliamentary elections.
This drew a lot of attention to the constituency, making it a talking point amidst widespread commendations for her resilience and historic victory.
Awuni’s triumph also earned her plaudits from gender activists who praised her exemplary determination and unwavering fighting spirit.
With the battle lines clearly drawn, many are wondering how Nana Ama Dokua Asiamah-Adjei, plans to gain acceptance in Okaikwei North and recapture the seat for the NPP.