PNC expresses interest in Kumawu by-election

The People’s National Convention (PNC) has expressed interest in the upcoming by-election in Kumawu in the Ashanti Region.

It has formally written to the Electoral Commission (EC) to register the Party’s intention to contest.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency, Ms Janet Nabla, General Secretary, PNC, said the Party was in the process of preparing a candidate to represent the PNC in the election.

The by-election has been necessitated by the demise of the former Member of Parliament for Kumawu, Mr Philip Basoah, last month.

In accordance with Article 112 (5) of the Constitution, as amended, the EC has set May 23, 2023, for the election.
The Commission is expected to receive nominations from prospective candidates from May 2, 2023, to May 5, 2023.
The EC has pegged the filing fees for the election at GHS10,000.

Ms Nabla said the PNC wrote to the EC last week to inform it about the Party’s decision to contest ahead of the selection of a candidate to contest on the ticket of the PNC.

“We’ve got a candidate, but we are to go there (Kumawu) next week to know how we can contest,” she said.
Ms Nabla said the candidate would soon be introduced to the media.

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) are preparing feverishly for the by-election.

Whereas the NDC has already selected a candidate for the election, the NPP is expected to hold its primaries on Sunday, April 23, 2023, to select a candidate for the contest.

Meanwhile, the Convention People’s Party (CPP) says it is “most likely” that it would not participate in the by-election.

Nana Akosua Frimpomaa Sarpong Kumankumah, the Chairperson of the CPP, told the Ghana News Agency on Monday, that the Party was focusing on its reorganisation and “will not rush” ahead of the 2024 general election.

In the last election in 2020, the late Philip Basoah, who contested on the ticket of the NPP polled 14, 960 votes while his closest contender, Duah Kwaku, an independent candidate polled 11, 698. The NDC candidate, Benard Opoku Marfo, polled 2,439 votes.