Editor of the Custodian Newspaper Awudu Mahama has mounted a defence for the widow of the murdered Member of Parliament (MP), Mr Ekow Quansah Hayford as the new Parliamentary Candidate to lead the Party in the 2020 polls.
Since the name of Mrs Ophelia Hayford, the wife of the deceased MP came up strongly and the approval by the National Executive Council (NEC) of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to contest followed, many have kicked against approval saying that she needs time to mourn her husbands and also she is not a card bearing member of the party.
On the Happy Morning Show (HMS) Awudu Mahama refuted those claims, according to him “You don’t necessarily need to be a member of the NPP to contest a parliamentary seat on the ticket of the party, I am not sure the NPP put a gun to Ophelia Hayford’s head to replace her husband, she is a grown-up person and she can make a decision for herself.”
He also added that “Parties are in competition to win an election and they will do everything in their power to win so they will present a candidate who will give them votes.
The NPP settled on Ophelia Hayford to succeed her murdered husband as the parliamentary candidate for the Mfantseman Constituency.
The party sent a letter to the Electoral Commission to invoke portions of CI 127 to allow a 10-day extension of the nomination period within which it would file for her to contest for the Mfantseman seat.
The provision states, “Where at the close of the nomination, but before the election one of the candidate dies, a further period of 10 days shall be allowed for nominations.”
Funeral
The family announced that as part of the funeral arrangements, the body would be laid to rest on November 28, 2020, with the entire funeral starting from November 27 and ending on November 29.
Mahama
The flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr John Dramani Mahama, who is on a campaign tour of the Central region called on the family as part of the one-week observation.
He used the occasion to call for tighter security in Ghana.
Omanhen
The Omanhen of Mankessim, Osagyefo Amanfo Edu said the MP was precious to his community adding that the constituency has lost a vibrant personality who was instrumental in the construction of the Mankessim market.
