Pollster Ben Ephson has predicted that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) will lose the Tema West seat, should the incumbent Member of Parliament for the area, Irene Naa Torshie Addo win the party’s primary.

According to him, the invasion of Tema West Constituency by party bigwigs such as Messrs Dan Botwe of Okere, Henry Quartey of Ayawaso Central, Atta Akyea of Abuakwa South, Daniel Titus-Glover of Tema East, as well as a former General Secretary of the NPP, Mr Kwadwo Owusu-Afriyie, popularly known as Sir John, over the weekend to campaign for Naa Torshie sows seeds of apathy and division in the party.

Their vigorous campaign for the incumbent MP follows the clearance of a candidate for the primary, Mr Carlos Kingsley Ahenkorah, by the party’s National Appeals Committee (NAC) to contest the primary.

The Committee, chaired by Mr Felix Owusu-Adjapong, a former Majority Leader in Parliament, found a petition filed by Ms Addo praying for Mr Ahenkorah’s disqualification as frivolous.

The NPP is set to hold its primary Saturday 25 July in a contest that promises to be keenly contested.

Speaking to Fifi Banson on Kasapa 102.3 FM’s Anopa Kasapa show Thursday, Mr Ephson maintained that the action by the bigwigs is a dangerous move that will cost the NPP dearly, if immediate steps are not taken to ensure reconciliation among the contestants.

“Following what these party elders did, if I’m a supporter of Carlos Ahenkorah and Mrs Amoako who are the other contestants, do you expect me to wake up at 4am to queue and vote for Nana Torshie in 2016 should she win the primary? Their supporters will vote for Nana and vote for Carlos if he should decide to go independent or better still they may decide to vote another parliamentary candidate to split the NPP’s votes”

“Naa Torshie should remember that she became the MP after she fought and won a bitter contest against the then Majority Leader, Abraham Osei Aidoo, a development that did not auger well for the party”.

“Naa Toshie won in 2008 by over 8,000 votes, however in 2012 she won by just less than a 1,000 votes, that should tell her something, this division that is being deepened by such favoritism is sure to cost the NPP the Tema West seat. The party’s research team should wake up and work on this issue” Mr Ephson noted.

By: Kasapafmonline.com/Ghana