Scores of polling station executives in the Tarkwa Nsueam Constituency in the Western Region together with hundreds of supporters of Joy Joycelin Andoh, an NPP Parliamentary aspirant, on Thursday, March 12 took to the principal streets of Tarkwa to jubilate over her inclusion in the party’s April 25 primaries.
On Tuesday, March 10, Western Region Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Francis Ndede Siah told 3news.com in an exclusive interview that Jocelyn Andoh has been disqualified.
The Regional Chairman’s announcement was met with wild jubilation from supporters of the incumbent Member of Parliament (MP) George Mireku Duker.
But their jubilation appeared short-lived as less than 24 hours after the regional chairman’s announcement, the report of vetting committee came out and listed the name of Joy Jocelyn Andoh as having qualified to contest in the primaries.
“In the Tarkwa Nsueam Constituency, there will be a contest between Joy Jocelyn Andoh and the MP George Mireku Duker,” Chairman of the Western Region Vetting Committee F. F Antoh told Takoradi-based Empire FM.
In a response to the twist of events, polling station executives numbering over 300 and clad in T-shirts displaying the picture of a smiling Joy Jocelyn Andoh applauded the Vetting Committee for “taking a decision that is in the supreme interest of the party in Tarkwa Nsueam”.
Holding placards some of which read, ‘Joy For the Youth’, ‘There will be an awakening in Tarkwa Nsueam’, ‘It is Now or Never. Joy is here to serve’, ‘Joy is our best bet for 2020’ and ‘Thank you, vetting committee’, the supporters moved from the UMaT Basic School through the Tarkwa Main Transport terminal with brass band music and finally converged at the Tarkwa EP Church.
“When I saw the regional chairman’s interview on TV3, at first I was sad. But then I told myself that, if there will be any announcement on the vetting, it will not come from him. And truly, the next day the report came out and Madam’s name was on the Tarkwa Nsueam list. This is very refreshing,” a polling station executive told 3news.com.
“I had no doubt in my mind whatsoever that Joy Jocelyn Andoh will be disqualified. Everything shows that Tarkwa Nsueam needs a change and the right replacement will be Joy. So, being happy is an understatement. The feeling is indescribable,” one supporter who danced from the start point all the way to the end point said.
For a good number of the polling station executives, their decision for an open show of support to one aspirant is because the MP had changed totally.
“The humble Mireku Duker that we brought has changed so much that we cannot even recognize him. He has surrounded himself with some people who perhaps are not giving him good and unifying advice. Unfortunately, we want someone we can work with and the MP has shown by his actions that we cannot work with him,” a 54-year-old polling station executive said.
When asked whether their jubilation is not too early, the charged supporters said they have absolute confidence that the content of the report that had the signatures of the Vetting Committee Chairman, FF Anto, and the Regional Secretary, Charles Bissue, is “cast in stone”.
“I’ve known Mr. Antoh for a very long time. I’ve observed him from afar and I can say without any shred of doubt that he is a man of high repute. And he will only work based on the evidence he has. And so, I think this is the final report. Nothing will change,” another supporter said.
When Joy Jocelyn Andoh appeared before the F. F Anto-led Vetting Committee, there were a total of 11 petitions against her candidature.
By Eric Yaw Adjei|3news.com|Ghana