Baladoo Manu defeated in Tatale
From Simmons Yussif Kewura, Kumasi
THE New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Ahafo Ano South Constituency in the Ashanti Region, Hon. Stephen Kwaku Baladoo Manu, who deserted his Constituency to contest the newly created Tatale-Sungule Constituency in the Northern Region, has suffered defeat in the hands of one James Cecil Yawumbe.
Hon. Baladoo Manu contested two other Parliamentary Aspirants in his home Constituency, but luck eluded him and he failed his bid, paving the way for Mr. Yawumbe, who beat him with two votes.
The winner polled 49 votes, whilst Hon. Baladoo and Mapambe Ntebe Wisdom trailed behind with 47 and 45 votes respectively.
Hon. Baladoo, who has been the MP for Ahafo Ano South in the Ashanti region since 1996, abandoned his constituents after he was defeated in the NPP primary held in the area, and decided to register at his hometown at Tatale as a voter, hoping that he would contest and win the new Tatale Sungule ticket of NPP.
What his constituency and other political analysts were saying was that if the Ahafo Ano MP had waited patiently, perhaps he would have won the Ahafo Ano South West, which harbours his adopted hometown of Domeabra.
During the biomentric registration exercise, the MP decided to go to his hometown to register , which action most people and members from his own party, the New Patriotic Party (NPP), expressed concern and questioned why he chose to go to his hometown to register as a voter, after his defeat in the party’s Parliamentary polls.
According to some of his critics, the action of the MP is a betrayal and insult on their conscience and thereby setting the precedence for other constituents to emulate him by not recognizing non-indigenes from a particular area, since it had amply demonstrated that they would do so for their parochial interest.
The constituents said they were disappointed in the MP, even though he did not win the NPP primary, he should have stayed in the constituency to help the current Parliamentary candidate of the NPP to win the seat.
“In so doing, Hon. Balado would be exhibiting maturity and love for the NPP and his constituents”, said the concerned constituents.
When The Chronicle contacted Hon. Baladoo Manu to ask about why he crossed over to the Northern Region stand in the primary, the MP declined to speak on the matter.
He told this reporter that he (Hon. Balado) was a French and English tutor and that words can not be pushed into his mouth.
“My brother, I say I am not going to comment on the matter, even if we go to the Supreme Court I would not talk, because I have my own reason and right for not commenting”.
Short URL: http://thechronicle.com.gh/?p=48427