The contest for the Ayawaso West Wuogon seat has taken a different twist, with the race getting hotter each day as the 2024 elections draw nearer.
The two leading candidates, incumbent MP Lydia Seyram Alhassan of the NPP and NDC’s John Dumelo were at it again as the two tackled each other like Antonio Rudiger man-marking Erling Haaland in a Champions League decider.
The two stormed various centres within the constituency to ensure that neither gained an unfair advantage in the voter registration exercise, which started on May 7.
The two were spotted at one of the University of Ghana campus centres, observing with eagle eyes as new voters took turns to get their names onto the voter roll to enable them to vote in the December 2024 polls.
Maa Lydia, as she is affectionately called, and ‘Lover Boy’ John Dumelo were on their feet for several hours, making sure that their people obtained Voter ID Cards without any hassle.
At one point, the incumbent MP was captured standing akimbo while Mr Dumelo was pacing about making frantic calls.
Ayawaso West Wuogon, situated in the Greater Accra Region, has been a focal point in Ghanaian politics.
The 2020 elections proved this trend, and current activities cast a shadow on what to expect in 2024.
The last election witnessed a fierce contest between the two.
Lydia Alhassan, leveraging the advantage of incumbency, emphasized her commitment and ongoing projects in the constituency. In contrast, John Dumelo utilized his charisma and entertainment industry popularity to connect with the youth, focusing on issues such as job creation and empowerment.
The two spent a lot to win the polls, from delivering truckloads of food items to constituents during the 2019 Christmas period to visiting female university students with chocolates during Valentine’s Day, providing sanitary materials to constituents in the COVID-19 pandemic fight, dredging gutters, and fumigating churches.
Eventually, Lydia Alhassan secured victory with 39,851 votes, representing 51.36% of the total votes cast, against Dumelo, who came second with 37,478 votes, representing 48.30%.
Ahead of the decider in 2024, Lydia Alhassan’s incumbency advantage will be pivotal, with scrutiny on her past projects and responsiveness to evolving constituency needs.
John Dumelo, having established himself in politics, is poised to build on the momentum from 2020, particularly emphasizing youth engagement, job creation, and community development.
John Dumelo is optimistic he will win this year’s election. According to the actor, he intends to win this year’s elections by capitalizing on her opponent’s weakness to secure victory.
Madam Alhassan, on the other hand, has expressed confidence in retaining the seat for the NPP in the 2024 elections.