Eric Sosu, one of the parliamentary candidates who picked up forms to contest the NDC primaries come August 24, has called on delegates to vote wisely in order to return the seat to the NDC. Speaking in an interview he granted exclusively to betterghanadigest.com, he said he was the best man to lead the NDC into victory in the Bortianor Ngleshie Amanfro Constituency in 2020.
When asked whether he was aware about the great loss the NDC suffered in the constituency during the 2016 parliamentary election, where Hon. Bright Kojo Demodzi losing to the NPP’s Alhaji Habib Saad with a very huge margin of votes; and whether if he thinks he is capable of bridging that gap and eventually winning the seat, Eric Sossu responded in the affirmative and quickly added that the seat belongs to the NDC.
He blamed the great loss on the fact that the leadership of the NDC thought JM was working. JM was working by way of the construction of roads, hospitals, schools e.t.c. and therefore it would be very easy for him to win.
Eric Sosu argued that the grassroots are the foundation of the party and they were not being recognized during 2016. “They had forgotten that it is the grassroots that will propagate the good things you have done and then subsequently move to the various polling stations to vote’. ‘So once you have refused to recognize them, they will also refuse to propagate you”.
He likened it to the process of putting up a building. Adding that if the foundation is weak, the building is bound to collapse. He said there was apathy all over and also, the former constituency executives had personal issues with the former MP and that also affected the party. The people just wanted to get something good and once that good thing was not coming, they decided to leave the seat to the NPP in a bid to punish the sitting MP.
Eric Sosu believes he is better placed to win the primaries because he is familiar with the people in the constituency. His approach is based on community politics. He called on the delegates and voters to vote for the candidate that really knows the area and their problems. A candidate that is ready to work and not those who are just hungry for MP just to secure the seat and because of that will be sharing money and other items to influence them to vote for them. “Vote for the one that is ready to assist the constituency”.
Eric Sosu said he has been in politics since 1992 when Rawlings was elected as chairman at the time the NDC was formed. “I worked vigourously for the party and we won 1992”. In 1996 he was in working for at East Ayawaso, precisely Nima. He moved from Nima to Kokomlemle, Central Ayawaso and worked as the Campaign Chairman for Dr. Ofei Agyeman who UNFORTUNATELY lost to sheik I. C. Quaye IN 2008. He again worked with Mr. Ani Agyei who contested twice, that is 2012 and 2016 and then left Central Ayawaso after the NDC had won in 2012 and then moved to Kokrobite. There he joined the party and started working for the party there.
“They can testify that I have worked to help the party running in the constituency” he said.
Speaking on current trends in the NDC, He lamented that the party’s constitution of the party demands that one must reside in an area for at least four years before he or she can qualify to stand as MP in the constituency. However people are following money so they have ignored that so today, once you have money and you are a card bearing member of the party, you can stand for elections in within one year. “I don’t know the kind of constitution the party is running” he said.
Touching on his plans for the constituency, Eric Sosu said he will make sure he focus on the key problems of the people. “The problems in the constituency include bad road network, they need water extension, electricity extension, drainage system etc”.
He went on to say that the constituency is a developing area and for that matter the people especially the youth and the women need jobs. Majority of them are traders, fishermen, fishmongers particularly in the coastal areas, he added.
Eric Sosu has promised to make the constituency just like East Legon, Adabraka if voted into parliament on the ticket of the NDC. He advised the people of Bortianor to reject people who will become a boss on them when they are elected. They should cast their votes wisely, in order to elect someone who they can get access to at all times. And he is very certain that he is the right man for the position.
Eric Sosu is contesting eight other aspirants namely, Alex Ackuaku, Felix Akwetey Nii Okle, Adams Dickson Abu Skedey, Peter Nana Asiedu, Alfred Nii Commeittey Ogbamey, Anthony Yesutor Kuagbenu, Sheriff Nii Oto Dodoo and Zakaria Mohammed Ali in the Bortianor Ngleshie Amanfro Constituency.
Eric Sosu unfortunately failed to file his nomination forms at the close of filing on friday 19th July 2019.
