Ama Sey: Akufo-Addo, Okyehene asked me to drop independent candidate plans

Member of Parliament (MP) for Akwatia, Mercy Adu-Gyamfi, also known as Ama Sey has rescinded her decision to break away from the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP).

Ama Sey, who was seeking a second term, lost the NPP primaries in June.

She had 223 votes, losing with four votes to Ernest Kumi who garnered 227 votes.

Unsatisfied with the results, she set her sights on contesting the 2020 parliamentary elections as an independent candidate.

However, she did not file her nominations at the close of Friday, October 9, the deadline set by the Electoral Commission (EC).

At a press conference on Saturday, she explained that several high profile officials appealed to her to drop her plans.

Prominent among those who advised her against the move, according to her, was President Akufo-Addo, his wife Rebecca Akufo-Addo and the Okyehene Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin.

“If today, you have heard that Ama Sey has not filed for the parliamentary forms, then it is because of the dignitaries who advised me to reconsider,” she said claiming that she was cheated at the primaries.

Subsequently, she told her supporters to turn their attention on retaining the NPP in power.

She canvassed for votes for President Nana Akufo-Addo to defeat the opposition NDC’s candidate again come December 2020.

Ama Sey caused an upset in 2016 when she defeated the NDC’s Baba Jamal who was the MP at the time.

The hair dresser ousted the then deputy Minister for Employment & Labour Relations with 21,433 while Baba Jamal managed 15,905.

Baba Jamal won the parliamentary seat for Akwatia for the first time, on the ticket of the NDC in 2012.

He polled 20, 308 votes while his closest contender Dr. Adu Asare had 19, 737 votes.

The NPP has won the seat four times while the NDC has been successful on three occasions.

The NPP’s Ernest Kumi will face off with the NDC’s Henry Boakye-Yiadom, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Okoyo Foundation.