A parliamentary candidate hopeful for the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Talensi Constituency of the Upper East Region, Solomon T.T.B Zinekena, has appealed to delegates of the party not to succumb to deceptions of any form and choose him to lead the party in the 2024 parliamentary poll in the constituency.
Describing the Talensi NDC delegates as ‘discerning’, the former Secretary of the party in the constituency urged them to brush aside criticisms from a section of the party, that he cannot lead the party to the 2024 parliamentary elections on the basis that he was ‘a small boy’.
“I want to use this very platform to appeal to the discerning delegates of the Talensi NDC; they are very wise; no one can bulldoze them; no one can deceive them. They are beyond deception, and they should bear in mind that this [is the] road we are constructing together. Again, they should take away that particular criticism that he is a small boy,” he told Mark Smith on A1 Radio’s Daybreak Upper East show on Tuesday.
Declaring himself as a suitable candidate for the largest opposition party in the Talensi Constituency, Mr. T.T.B Zinekena stressed the importance of affording the youth the opportunity to lead the party to the 2024 elections, alluding that former President Jerry John Rawlings fought gallantly to bring democratic governance to Ghana at a youthful age.
He added that the likes of former President John Dramani Mahama and the Member of Parliament (MP) for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzetu Ablakwa, became parliamentarians and deputy ministers respectively during their youthful ages, hence, the need for the delegates to take inspiration from that analogy, and give the youth the chance to serve the constituency.
“Let me tell you, Chairman Rawlings was just 32 years when he fought and brought democracy to Ghana, and his democracy is the lasting democracy that we have today, Former President John Dramani Mahama was around 37/38 years when he went to Parliament in 1996; he served for 12 years.
“Ablakwa was just 28 years when he became Deputy Minister for Information he didn’t work for any organisation at the time he had delivered. Today, you can’t count performing Members of Parliament without mentioning Ablakwa,” he stressed.
The former scribe further touted himself as a viable candidate for the party, as far as the Talensi Constituency was concerned, adding that he ‘resonates’ well with the people of the area.
He intimated that since the NDC youth had never disappointed the party, he would work assiduously to make its members proud, adding that he had already been tried and tested.
Solomon T.T.B Zinekena, as well as eight other members of the party, have, so far, picked up nomination forms to contest for the Talensi Constituency primary.
The primary is slated for May 13, 2023.
From Elijah Beyeni, Bolgatanga
