Incumbent Member of Parliament for Bantama in the Ashanti Region, Daniel Okyem Aboagye has lost his re-election bid in the New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary primaries held on Saturday, June 20, 2020.
He was defeated by Deputy Chief of Staff at the Presidency, Francis Asenso-Boakye.
Mr. Asenso-Boakye, a development planner by profession, was highly tipped to triumph over the sitting MP over latter’s alleged inability to lobby development for the constituency.
At the end of the polls, Asenso-Boakye won with 456 votes as compared to Daniel Okyem Aboagye’s 122 votes.
He won all nine electoral areas in the Constituency.
The newly elected parliamentary candidate was grateful to all individuals who assisted him in his election journey and assured of building a united front towards victory in the December 7 polls.
“I want to thank everybody for the support they have given me throughout this treacherous campaign process. I also want to thank the party and all other constituency executives for voting for me massively. This is a resounding victory for Asenso-Boakye. I also want to thank the former MP, Kofofu for supporting me throughout this election. I want to congratulate Mr. Okyem Aboagye for conceding defeat. I want to assure him that I bear no blood against anybody. We should all move together for the bigger battle ahead of us”, he said.
Chaos at Bantama
Earlier during the polls, there was exchange of blows at the Quarshie Idun polling centre when one of the party members who worked at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was allegedly prevented from voting by polling agents of Okyem Aboagye.
The free for all fight erupted at the polling centre after some delegates were prevented from voting.
Daniel Okyem Aboagye had alleged manipulation of the constituency register insisting that delegates who are now officers of the BNI are allowed to vote at some of the centres resulting in fisticuffs.
Mr. Aboagye said he suspected some form of manipulation and unfair treatment.
“We know that national security and BNI personnel are not supposed to vote. We don’t expect them to show up and vote. We heard from Bantama that a BNI officer showed up and voted. Over here, we understand the guy works with Foreign Affairs or BNI and he came here to vote. That is what my agent was challenging and the guy wanted to fight him”, he said.
Before polls
Francis Asenso-Boakye was accused of vote-buying by his opponent but he debunked such allegations.
But for Daniel Okyem Aboagye, who is also the ranking member of the Finance Committee of Parliament, said he was satisfied with his first term in the legislature and trusted the delegates to make the right choice.
